This blog re-published with permission from Kjerstin Gruys, originally from her blog Mirror, Mirror… Off the Wall. So there’s this new Dove “Real Beauty Sketches” ad campaign, and I’m finally ready to say my piece about it. I watched the three-minute version and felt emotions swelling in my chest. I liked this cathartic feeling, so I immediately… Continue Reading →
Sexual Assault in the Media – SVU Spreads Awareness
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 →
Maturing and menstruating with the media
For girls, growing up in the 21st century means contending with the media from a very young age. Be it Disney princesses or iPhone apps, the media’s influence is seemingly inescapable. But, what about getting your period? How do media messages affect girls’ perception of menstruation? I remember being thoroughly embarrassed as a kid by… Continue Reading →
Croods best ensemble movie since Incredibles. Take your kids!
This piece was originally published by Margot Magowan on her blog, Reel Girl. My three daughters, my niece, my sister, and I LOVED The Croods. From beginning to end, this movie is fantastic. The characters are great and the animation is gorgeous. The Croods is the best ensemble animated movie since The Incredibles, and like… Continue Reading →
Lose hate, not weight: an interview with the absolutely fabulous Virgie Tovar
Last month I attended a couple workshops that were presented by Virgie Tovar, a body image expert and coach. Virgie has also edited the book Hot & Heavy: Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love, and Fashion. The workshops were awesome and inspiring, leaving me feeling great about myself and wanting to spread the word about how… Continue Reading →
Smart girl shares science (and scoops brains) on YouTube
Emily Graslie is into dead things, and she’s not afraid to talk about it. Emily is the Volunteer Curatorial Assistant at the Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum at the University of Montana. She shares her knowledge of and passion for taxidermy, natural history, and animal specimen preparation (dead things) with me and other viewers worldwide… Continue Reading →
Drop everything you’re doing and watch these films!
Media clearly has something against women. There just aren’t enough women making movies about women, and those movies that do exist don’t get the attention they deserve. Documentaries are unfortunately in the same situation when it comes to gender equality. Luckily, there are organizations and women out there making a difference that deserve to be… Continue Reading →
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Reading pretty much anything about girls and pop culture today, you would be forgiven for despairing over the incessant bombardment of messages about conforming to ideal body standards. But I’m here to tell you that there are some alternative messages filtering through to impressionable young girls. Exhibit A: Yep, some people actually want girls to… Continue Reading →
In praise of female celebrity role models
I think we’re due for a piece full of praise. A high school English teacher in Chicago, Ashley Lauren Samsa, shared on Bitch magazine’s website a list of positive female role models in pop culture, as drafted up by her students. She wrote, “The list is a good insight into what interests teen girls these… Continue Reading →