Strong Is The New Pretty: Interview with Kate T. Parker

April 30, 2015 Adamant as I am about shifting appearance cues in the media towards a "whole person" lens, it's no surprise I was thrilled to hear photographer Kate T. Parker's catchphrase, "Strong is … [Read more...]

Archery: Using Media To Get Kids Outside, Into STEM, and More

Aug. 20, 2016 Update Adding this report on the acceleration of archery as a sport for young girls, from the resource rich data gleaned from the fabulous Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. … [Read more...]

Take Back Halloween: Debunking the Mythology of Market Demand

Update Oct. 22, 2016 Check out the new 2016 Take Back Halloween Costume Contest! (deadline to enter  11-6-16) And...in case any hipster parents are mumbling "what's the harm it's 2016, lighten up, … [Read more...]

Melanie Klein’s Body Collage Work With Teens: Proud to Be Me

Oct. 10, 2013 All this week I’ll be shining the spotlight on “inspiring minds you’ll want to know” in our “All Things Girl” series celebrating the Girl Effect  taking place worldwide this Friday, Oct. … [Read more...]

SureFire Girls: Life Literacy For Teens in a Power-Packed Conference

Oct. 8, 2013 As the parent of a teen graduating high school, spring was like a surreal montage of college tours, anticipation, excitement and questions swirling in my brain.Did I give her enough savvy … [Read more...]

Ground Hog Day: Super Bowl Sexism Keeps Popping Up

Feb 2, 2013 It's Ground Hog Day and as reliable as Punxsutawney Phil, parents and pundits await to see what shadows will be cast on kids from the Super Bowl media hype blaring at surround sound … [Read more...]

A Mighty Girl: Healthier Media Messaging, One Click Convenience

April 11, 2013 Update: Check out A Mighty Girl pics for Environmental Books and movies for green kidlit and Earth Day 2013!  Dec. 10, 2012 What to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature … [Read more...]

Year Round Media That Matters: Positive Picks for Kids

Nov. 26, 2012 With all the coinage and consumption swirling around Black Friday and Cyber Monday for people hunting “deals” I think it’s fitting to honor the organizations that deliver positive media … [Read more...]

Bratzillaz, Novi Stars, Monster High: Same Sexualized SnoreFest

Update April 7, 2015 Toy Joy! New offerings upending the toy industry to send healthier cues to kids: Lottie Dolls, GoGoSportsGirls, and now this new Kickstarter, Ember World adventure dolls, … [Read more...]

Julia Bluhm’s Plea To Curb PhotoShop Sparks Change at Seventeen Mag

July 8, 2012 No secret the 'world according to teen magazines' is abysmal for girls, and we've seen mega-stats, studies and fact sheets about the impact on tweens and teens, (KFF pdf here) but as the … [Read more...]

Mattel’s Manipulative Monster High Marketing Machine: Unkind.

June 15, 2012 Last year when I wrote about Mattel’s vampy campy Monster High dolls I purposely didn’t even name their brand, hoping it would quietly fizzle and bury itself in the outcry of parents … [Read more...]

Miss Travel: Misrepresentation Way Beyond Arm Candy

April 26, 2012 “If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck”… It doesn’t take much inductive reasoning to see Miss Travel is afoul. That said, using critical thinking skills to see why … [Read more...]

How Will YOU Use Media to Inspire On International Women’s Day?

April 23, 2020: Updating with Visual Credit for gorgeous artwork at left and below ("Dive into your dreams" and "Listen to Girls") created by Dr. Alison Aune BFA, Professor of Art Education at … [Read more...]

Miss Representation Sparks Change As a Film, As a Movement

Ready for Feb 3, 2013? Miss Rep will be at it again. Here is the new list of 2013 Twitter handles for advertisers, just use the #NotBuyingIt hashtag on Twitter to make a social media statement … [Read more...]

The Supermodels, Then and Now + A Chat With Janet Lansbury

Feb. 1, 2012 “25% of young women 18-34 would rather win America’s Next Top Model than the Nobel Peace Prize..." ..."And 23% would rather lose their ability to read than their figures” opens Lisa … [Read more...]

Lego Friends: Please Build on Possibility, Brain Plasticity

April 28, 2016 "37 year old son of Lego billionaire takes the helm as Vice Chairman" Congrats, Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, now that you've inherited the Lego legacy, and named your daughter and five … [Read more...]

Redefining Beauty, Reclaiming Yourself: Backtalking Billboards!

July 29, 2011 Do you feel the rumble of the “I’m mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore” massive mindshifting among young women talking back to the ad industry and media machine? The “Take Back … [Read more...]

Shaping Youth Is Backing The Illusionists Film About Media’s Body Blitz

Update Nov. 2, 2014 Talk about a greenlight! Excited to attend Elena's "PopUp Party" today screening her important 2015 documentary film (preview here). She'll be speaking at the 3PercentConference in … [Read more...]

Vamp Tramp Toys: A Monster Problem

Mar. 16, 2011 Show and tell time on this  Wordless Wednesday. Not going to give them the pleasure of naming names here to add to their search engine buzz, since  research has shown that one of … [Read more...]

Social Media Rally For Girls Sports Today

Dec. 8, 2010 Pop-Quiz from our partner org, San Mateo Starlings Volleyball, serving low-income and minority girls age 12-18: Did you know that girls who participate in sports are: ..."92% less … [Read more...]