Looking for a television show that empowers victims of sexual assault and spreads awareness about the issues? Then some Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is just what you need. We’re right in the middle of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). It has officially been observed nationally in the U.S. since 2001…. Continue Reading →
NBC takes a step forward in gender and race representation with Revolution
On September 17, NBC aired its newest television series Revolution. The premise of the show is pretty simple: One day, every single piece of technology completely blacks out, permanently. Fifteen years later on the outskirts of Chicago, families are living feudally, relying on farming and hunting to sustain themselves. We learn that Ben Matheson may… Continue Reading →
Not wearing makeup on TV is literally Headline News
I have a pretty traditional work schedule, in that I’m not usually home during the day. This means that I’m not too familiar with talk shows. So, when I saw the headline “’The Talk’ hosts’ makeup-free premiere,” I wasn’t sure what or whom they were discussing. It turns out that “The Talk” is a daytime… Continue Reading →
Wanted: Television role models for female academics
As I go into my third year of college this September, a recent article on The Guardian inspired me. I would consider myself an aspiring academic, and the article revealed the results from a report that stated only 12% of third-year female PhD students want a career in academia.This is not to say that a majority… Continue Reading →
Study confirms that TV makes all kids, except little white boys, feel bad
Color me surprised at yet another study evidencing TV consumption, specifically for young girls and black boys, as self-esteem squashing. The exception? Little white boys. Yes, this is yet another indication of the lack of diversity represented on television, but I think this is only a small slice of a much larger problem. Released last week… Continue Reading →
NBC’s Parks and Recreation promotes feminism for everyone
As a media consumer, I usually have more to criticize than praise. Our televisions are constantly filled with stick-thin celebrities, diet ads, and negative messages about women’s bodies. So when a show has a woman-positive, even feminist message, it deserves recognition. Enter Parks and Recreation, a sitcom about small government in the fictional town of… Continue Reading →
Lesbian storylines make a desperate grab for Sweeps Week TV ratings
Sweeps Week, the week(s) during the television season when Nielsen ratings data is collected (most recently at the end of November), is not known for quality. What it is known for are live episodes, celebrity cameos, character deaths, cliffhangers, and of course, the infamous shark jump. But beyond these trivial stunts, a disturbing trend has… Continue Reading →
In the space between Old and New: Irish girls, the body, and self
[Ed. note: This article is part one of a three-part series about the intersection of secular and religious culture in Ireland and the effect of those forces on Ireland’s young women.] Some time ago I came across an Irish Times article entitled Working the Hooker Look. In the article, Alda Austin writes about her experience… Continue Reading →
Women laughing alone (and on TV and in the movies) with salad
What’s the last thing you saw a woman eating on television? Once you start looking for it, it seems women eating salad are everywhere–and not a whole lot else. But sometimes even salad isn’t “lady” enough: A scene from the 2009 film The Invention of Lying limits women’s options even more. Jennifer Garner’s character (“the… Continue Reading →