“Brave Girls Want” Marissa Mayer to Lead, Not Follow

Aug. 22, 2013 Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has posed a vast public health problem in the latest edition of Vogue……Literally and figuratively.That can be a good thing if it helps ignite a media conversation … [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...]

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...]

Media Vamping: Twilight Talking Points, Bite Me Brouhaha

July 9, 2010 “There’s an obsession among many teens today for all things vampire, and it looks like the craze is now leaving a mark…literally.” So goes the opener for CBS News Early Morning Show … [Read more...]

Youth Culture Clash: When Parody Strikes & Adults Freeze

Keeping my finger on ‘whassup’ in youth culture can lead to ‘life’s most embarrassing moments’ in a keystroke. Case in point? I stay apprised with what’s … [Read more...]

7 clues to a New Year’s riddle for the 7th year of 2000

This landed in my e-mail from some pals of mine, and it seems worthy to toss out there to get kids thinking along these lines and open up some dialogue. Yes, I’m being ambiguous on purpose so I … [Read more...]