May 6, 2010 Call her a mompreneur, entrepreneurista, or "the original PigTail Pal," Melissa Wardy is a mama bear with a mission and a voice that roars when it comes to changing the way our society thinks about girls. What better way to celebrate Girls Inc's Girls Rights Week than to honor the first year anniversary of a "stay-at-home mom turned work-at-home activist" … [Read more...]
Redefining Girly: Girls Rights Week W/Founder of Pigtail Pals
Girls Are Not Candies. Tweens Are Not Teens. Thongs Are Not Undies.
May 4, 2010 A few years back I commented on the post Confessions of a Lingerie Lover by Fae Goodman on Alternet and copped to being “one and the same.” Fae uncorked a doozy of a conversation that brought out the best/worst in femme debates as she pithily contrasted the difference between adult media messages and ‘costuming’ cues and the marketer’s desire to target adolescents, … [Read more...]
Commodification of Kids: The Backlash Has Begun
April 16, 2010 About a year ago, TruthOut featured a poignant article called "Commodifying Kids, The Forgotten Crisis" by academic Henry A. Giroux, and though I read it with lots of head bobbing agreement on the tipping point of toxicity, I have to strongly DISagree with the "forgotten" notion. This issue is not the LEAST bit forgotten...it's on fire, baby and it's gaining … [Read more...]
Deconstructing Gaga: Through the Lens of 100 Youth
Mar. 29, 2010 Whether you’re Gaga for Gaga or your emotions run toward dropping the last letter (ahem, cough) there’s no doubt her one billion online video views ascending her from bland to brand have given this top selling recording artist much to celebrate beyond LadyGaga's 24th birthday yesterday. Mea culpa on missing the mark for a full-fledged youth roundup of “lil’ … [Read more...]
ALLY Awards: Architects of Change Amidst Brands: Tween Town Hall
March 12, 2010 Today I soared through my first ever Virgin Airlines’ experience bemused by two giddy tween girls excitedly chirping to their mom about the pink and purple “mood lighting” befitting a nightclub and the free WiFi and touchscreen inflight services, as she flashed me one of those, “Where do these girls hear this stuff?” mutual-mama looks. I wanted to ask if they … [Read more...]