I’m not a prude, and I don’t like to judge other women’s personal choices. But I do care an awful lot about how women are portrayed (and portray themselves!) in the media. We’re now averaging 13.6 hours of media consumption per person per day, which means the stories we see played out in the media… Continue Reading →
“Fit is the new thin”: Is Instagram just another channel for eating disorders?
Instagram is one of the most popular forms of social media today, not just because of the awesome pictures, but because of the “community” — it’s sort of like YouTube, except you create your own world online in the form of pictures. Instagram gets a good rep partially because it seems like a great form… Continue Reading →
Plus Size Princess blog inspires body positivity
Although social media breeds negativity and outrageous haters, it also brings wonderful sites like Plus Size Princess to our attention. I found this website through a YouTube video about dating as a plus size female. Despite the fact that I am not plus size, I love to watch these videos to gain confidence. Reading About-Face’s… Continue Reading →
Lesbians are girls, too: Why no one’s immune to media
I have a superpower. I am immune to the power of media. Yes, you heard me correctly. Bring on your Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows and Hardee’s ads and watch their influence fall harmlessly away from me. For as a lesbian, I “do not care about the standards of beauty created for me by society.” Wait…what?… Continue Reading →
“Fat” is an emotion, according to Facebook
As a new member of Facebook, I frequently find myself flummoxed by its strange ways. Someone “liked” my “status”? I’ve been invited to play “Candy Crush”? Someone has “poked” me? Usually, with much grumbling and cursing in Yiddish, I find some way to adapt to the world of countable likes, crushes on inanimate objects, and… Continue Reading →
Pretty Little Liars’ lies about “pretty”
Love it or hate it, ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars is an inescapable staple of current pop culture. The soupy and sartorial mystery/horror show debuted in 2010 and is nearing the end of its fifth season, with its success due to the the mix of guilty pleasure TV and a savvy intelligence of the culture in… Continue Reading →
Should you take it (almost) all off for a telfie?
Ok, so you guys. Did you know that “Telfies” are a real thing? Yeah, uh huh. Telfies, meaning a selfie where you bare your tummy. Because apparently if you have a flat stomach, you need to make sure the whole world can see it on their phones. I’m all about “Live and let live,” and… Continue Reading →
This summer, get YOUR perfect media literacy body in just 5 steps!
Since I occasionally get bored while waiting in line to pay for groceries, I periodically experience the utter joy of seeing a seemingly body-positive teen mag, leafing through it, and having my hopes crushed. At this point in my life, I pick up the magazines not out of legitimate hope that a Seventeen article entitled… Continue Reading →
One million other things to do this summer besides worry about your weight
For some people, summer means endless days of sleeping in, binging on Netflix, working on your tan, scoping out hot lifeguards, and making memories. However, if you’re like me and you have struggled with body image issues, summer can be a difficult time. Not only will your body be on display a whole lot more,… Continue Reading →