Something amazing is happening, and it only took until 2014! (Is the sarcasm on that last part translating here?) In November of this year, DreamWorks Animation Studios will release Home, the first 3D animated film with a black female heroine. The only thing that makes this news even better? Pop star Rihanna is playing the… Continue Reading →
Pharrell vs. Beyoncé: Have feminists let men off the hook?
Are feminists forcing women to achieve a higher standard than men? Pharrell Williams, wearer of Arby’s-shaped hats and the artist behind one of the biggest hits of the moment, Happy, has recently declared himself a feminist and received a fairly warm welcome compared to his fellow feminist, Beyoncé Knowles. Celebrity feminists like Williams and Knowles have… Continue Reading →
Why I say I’m bossy
I remember the first time someone told me that I was being bossy. I think I was about five or six years old and was playing with friends at a park or someplace. Anyway, I remember blinking and then shrugging my shoulders as I said, “So?” with all the sass a five — almost six… Continue Reading →
Think only white women get eating disorders? Think again.
In popular culture, stories of eating disorders are dominated by white women. But what about the other sufferers? Women of color have been sidelined in eating disorder funding and research, and have therefore been underestimated in our perception of the affected demographic. In the new Slate article “Eating disorders do not discriminate“, Michelle Konstantinovsky explores… Continue Reading →
Seven books about inspiring, real-life women
Every girl needs heroines and role models to look up to. Despite the lack of deserved recognition and fame that pioneering women in history have received, there are still plenty of ways to learn their stories. The following books* have taken some of the most amazing stories of female power and ingenuity that are sure to… Continue Reading →
Orange is the New Black, white, straight, gay, and everything in between
I’m extremely skeptical about television. I don’t have cable because, save for Breaking Bad, I’m generally not interested. So when I first saw the ads for Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, I was quick to write it off as a scripted and gimmicky tale of a white girl in prison. But after watching it, I… Continue Reading →
Celebrity baby mamas: hot new trend; regular baby mamas: not so much
Let’s get one thing clear from the start: I’m not judging high-profile women like the currently preggers Kate Winslet or Halle Berry for having children with multiple partners. That’s not what this post is about. Instead, it’s about how our culture lets some women who engage in Multiple Partner Fertility (MPF) off the hook (ahem,… Continue Reading →
Who run the (advertising) world? (Beyoncé)
A couple of weeks ago, Beyoncé debuted her new song from a forthcoming album, “Standing on the Sun” in a commercial for H&M. Earlier in the year she launched a new $50 million campaign with Pepsi, including commercials, visual ads, and limited-edition Beyoncé Pepsi cans. Of course, Beyoncé also sang at President Obama’s Inauguration and… 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 →