Writer Joan Didion once poignantly proclaimed, “To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves - there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.” Amen, Joan. It’s clear I’m not buying into this whole ‘third wave’ of feminism, where supposedly the new pilot, The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the … [Read more...]
Today Common Sense Media and the Aspen Institute announced the schedule for February 5 & 6th's “Beyond Primetime” Media Conference in New York, and I’m hoping they’ll debrief us all via podcast or webcast. My keister is staying put this round, as I have a conflict on my slate and haven’t found a clone for myself yet. That said, CSM is taking … [Read more...]
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha earned it. Lindsay wants it. Paris lacks it. Beyoncé & Britney had it, hit some high notes, then vamped it away.Our media culture is so fraught with ‘trashy party girl’ celebrity coverage and peekaboo wardrobe malfunctions papering the blogosphere, it’s no wonder kids’ behavioral cues are getting fouled up beyond recognition.What goes into kids’ minds … [Read more...]
I'm not one to 'forward to a friend' very often, but Dove’s powerful new film is a one-minute click-n-send that I hope you’ll share with every tween, teen, and woman you know who’s been hammered by media & marketing’s distorted messages of unattainable beauty and body image. The light snaps on and cameras roll in time-lapsed frenzy as an … [Read more...]
A few weeks ago when Limbaugh was flapping racial ‘what ifs’ and media hype swirled around the lowlife tactics of CBS' Survivor dividing teams by race, I kept hoping kids would just cover their ears. Kids don’t need to watch a show to be damaged by it. Children hear media chatter from parents, peers and pop culture buzz without ever pressing the 'on' … [Read more...]
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