Disney/Pixar’s 2012 animated film Brave was groundbreaking, not only for its exceptional graphics, but for its portrayal of an unconventional princess, the independent sharpshooter, Merida. Children and adults of all ages were delighted by Merida and the film has been a huge success—which is why many parents are outraged at Disney’s “makeover” of Merida for… Continue Reading →
Women’s talents: alas, shrugged
I was pleased to learn that the topic this week in my male-dominated political discussion group would be Ayn Rand. If you don’t know, Ayn Rand is a famed female philosopher and author of the novel, Atlas Shrugged. She was no feminist—some would say she was the opposite—but she was strong in her principles, a… Continue Reading →
From the diary of the 6th grade “slut” — The UnSlut Project
“I can’t dump him now, because then people would think I am even more of a slut than they already do. How could one mistake cause my life to crumble like this?” Would you publish your diary from when you were a pre-teen on the Internet for the entire world to read? This is exactly… Continue Reading →
A damsel in progress: analyzing BioShock Infinite’s Elizabeth
From Peach to Zelda, the damsel in distress is a classic video game figure. Countless games have featured the helpless princess in need of rescuing, and despite its blatant sexism, the trope is still widely used. When Irrational Games’ BioShock: Infinite was released March 26th, female character Elizabeth seemed to be just another damsel in… Continue Reading →
In the world of men’s magazine publishing, does honesty count?
Let’s face it: We live in a world where women are objectified left, right, and center. The focal point of this objectification is magazines — those made for both men and women. But that objectification usually runs under the surface, insidiously pointing out our flaws by showing women who are impossibly flawless. Until now. Speaking… Continue Reading →
The reinvention of girl power: new Lara Croft is still a bad-ass, with a new bra
Since Tomb Raider’s debut in 1996, the game’s hero, Lara Croft, has been most every adolescent boy’s dream and every grown woman’s nightmare. Despite her bad-ass moves, Lara’s body—most notably a pair of laughably enormous breasts—has always been overtly objectified and sexualized. But in the most recent iteration of the Tomb Raider franchise, Tomb Raider:… Continue Reading →
Target’s “Everyday Collection”: sexualizing saltines and soup
A few months ago, in my Sunday newspaper, a Target flyer arrived featuring a brunette beauty fixed with a seductive stare, cocking her head back against a box of saltines, while gripping a Campbell’s microwave soup bowl in her other hand. Unneeded sexualization anyone? I immediately removed the page from the pile of sales ads,… Continue Reading →
Sports Illustrated’s failed attempt to be more “accessible” to women readers
We all know that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition comes out every year, and with each year, we all groan at the images, growing more and more tired of the airbrushing and scantily clad models. It looks like Sports Illustrated has caught on to our feelings, has decided to switch things up a bit, and… Continue Reading →
America: obsessed with nudity (but only the lady version!)
The end of a year always brings with it some interesting “Top Ten” lists, ranging from best dressed to most money to least likely couple. But The Huffington Post took it to a whole new level with “The Best Nude Scenes of 2012.” Drawing on movies released throughout the past year, the Post created its list… Continue Reading →