Monster High

2014: The Year Of Redefining Girly

January 10, 2014 by Amy Jussel Leave a Comment

Jan. 10, 2014 Even in just the last 5 years or so since the American Psychological Association Task Force reported about the harm of early sexualization and its impact on children (full 72pp APA study here) I’ve wondered “what’s taking so long, can’t people see this is a huge public health problem? Positive change feels glacial while negative influence feels like it’s been a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sexualization & Body Image Tagged With: #BraveGirlsWant, adolescent body image, Amy-Jussel, APA task force sexualization girls, beauty myth, BGW, brain plasticity, Bratzillaz, Brave, Brave Girls Alliance, Brave Girls Invade Times Square, Brave Girls Want, change the channel of influence, child development, Cinderella Ate My Daughter, commercialized childhood, commodification, Consumerism, consumption, corporate social responsibility, CSR, damaging body image, Disney-Princesses, diversity, gender equity, girls leadership, harm of early sexualization, hypersexualized, Jean Kilbourne, Killing Us Softly, Let Toys Be Toys, media-literacy, Melissa Atkins Wardy, Melissa Wardy, merchandising, Merida makeover, Monster High, objectification, Packaging-Girlhood, parenting, PigTail Pals, Pigtail Pals Ballcap Buddies, pink blue stereotypes, Pink culture, preteen body image, Reality Bites Back, redefining girly, Sexualization, sexualized dolls, SheHeroes, So Sexy So Soon, stereotypes, The Illusionists Documentary, The Lolita Effect, The Real Tooth Fairies, Toward the Stars, toy industry, what sells

Brave Girls Want: A Movement, Not a Moment.

September 10, 2013 by Amy Jussel Leave a Comment

Sept. 11, 2013 Grand Finale Tally for IndieGoGo campaign ended at 11:59PT: $26,673 Sept. 9, 2013 Today marks the triumph of a grassroots groundswell over colossal corporate branding, with the tipping point to “take back the media” coming from individuals, en masse! Tomorrow, the Brave Girls Invade Times Square campaign will be featured as the IndieGoGo crowdfunding … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Emerging trends & STEM Tagged With: #KeepMeridaBrave, adolescent body image, Amy Jussel Partner, Amy-Jussel, APA task force sexualization girls, BGW, brain plasticity, Bratzillaz, Brave, Brave director Brenda Chapman, Brave Girls Alliance, Brave Girls Invade Times Square, Brave Girls Want, Brenda Chapman, change the channel of influence, child development, Cinderella Ate My Daughter, Consumerism, consumption, corporate social responsibility, CSR, Disney, Disney-Princesses, diversity, gender equity, gender parity, girls leadership, hypersexualized, If you had the chance to change your fate, Ines Almeida, International Day of the Girl, Let Toys Be Toys, Media and Perception of Reality, media-literacy, Media-Makeovers, Melissa Wardy, merchandising, Merida makeover, Merida petition, Monster High, Packaging-Girlhood, parenting, Peggy Orenstein, PigTail Pals, preteen body image, Princess Free Zone, Princess Merida, Rebecca Hains, redefining girly, Sexualization, sexualized dolls, SheHeroes, So Sexy So Soon, stereotypes, That's Not Merida, Toward the Stars, toy industry

A Mighty Girl: Healthier Media Messaging, One Click Convenience

December 10, 2012 by Amy Jussel Leave a Comment

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 “Hey!” and some REAL Christmas cheer! A Mighty Girl holiday story: I’ve written about rampant sexualization and gendered absurdity narrowing choices in the toy aisle many times … [Read more...]

Filed Under: EcoKids-Environment, Emerging trends & STEM, Marketing Shaping Youth, Media Literacy, People Shaping Youth, Positive Picks, Pro-Social & Positive Picks, Sexualization & Body Image, Shaping Youth, Stereotypes & Diversity Tagged With: A Mighty Girl, Amy-Jussel, antidote to sexualization, Brave, Carolyn Danckaert, Early-Sexualization, encouraging STEM, Geena Davis Institute, Gender, gender and media portrayals, gender literacy, girl-empowerment, girlpower, girls leadership, girls-self-worth, graphic novels, healthy choices, healthy girls toys, healthy media, media-literacy, Monster High, multicultural kids books, Packaging-Girlhood, Peggy Orenstein, pink and blue, positive messages about girls, positive role models for girls, Shero, sheroes, STEM for girls, strong female characters, SuperGirl, supershero, top books on bullying prevention for girls, Ultimate guide to the independent princess, winx, women and girls lead

CCFC: A Positive Pick, Even When Calling Out Negative TOADY Toys

December 4, 2012 by Amy Jussel Leave a Comment

Dec. 4, 2012 No question I continue to land hard on watchdogs that aren’t woofin’ when it comes to media and marketing’s impact on kids, but nobody does it better than Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC) with a solid lip curl and warning snarl before tearing the pants off of those without a corporate conscience focused on profiteering over public health…...So … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advertising, Branding & Consumerism, Consumerism, Counter-marketing, EcoKids-Environment, Emerging trends & STEM, Growing up too soon, Interactive Games, Marketing Shaping Youth, Media Literacy, Mobile Media, Apps & Gaming, Nutrition & Wellness, Positive Picks, Pro-Social & Positive Picks, Product Placement, Sexualization & Body Image, Shaping Youth, Stereotypes & Diversity Tagged With: age compression, apptivity ball, baby media, best toy of the year, Bratzillaz, building brain plasticity, Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, CCFC, consumer watchdogs, corporate profiteering, digital devices, Digital Literacy, Digital Media Learning, digital world, early childhood education, Early-Sexualization, Facing the Screen Dilemma, FTC, Healthy kids in a digital world, impact of excessive screen time, Kids health, kids rights, kids socioemotional health, Lego Friends, media use, media-literacy, Monster High, National Parenting Publications Awards, Nielsen reports, nurturing healthy brain development, power of play, screen time, Susan Linn, TOADY Awards, Truce, value of unstructured play, winx, worst toy of the year

Bratzillaz, Novi Stars, Monster High: Same Sexualized SnoreFest

July 12, 2012 by Amy Jussel

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, highlighted in this post. July 12, 2012 It's ironic that with over 900 cable networks choice is sorely lacking, as copycat formulaic media producers churn out new Reality TV genres … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advertising, Branding & Consumerism, Consumerism, Damaging Drek, Emerging trends & STEM, Growing up too soon, Marketing Shaping Youth, Media Literacy, Misogyny & Racism, Sexualization & Body Image, Shaping Youth, Stereotypes & Diversity, Vapid Values Tagged With: APA report early sexualization, Barbie, Be Bratz, big 6 media companies, Brattitude, Bratz, Bratzillaz, canted poses, Celebrity worship, coarse culture, cult of celebrity, Dr Jennifer Shewmaker, Etsy, girls self esteem, girls sports, girls-self-worth, Go Go Sports Girls, harm of early sexualization, illusion of choice, indie toys, Jodi Norgaard, lack of toy choice, Lego Friends, Little Bits, maker faire, Mattel, Mattel Monster High, MGA, MGA Entertainment, MGAE, Monster High, Monster High sexualization, Novi Stars, PigTail Pals, Pop-Culture, preteen-health, Reality TV, roominate, ScrapKins, sexist toys, sexualized dolls, Super Tool Lula, top 10 toy manufacturers, vamp tramp toys, who controls the media