I have mixed feelings about the “little girl dress-up” industry. I recently read a New York Times article about spas that cater to young girls, and it kind of made my head spin. As an adult, I immediately cringed. Six-year-olds getting massages? A spa for girls called “Seriously Spoiled” — as if being spoiled is a good… Continue Reading →
The Value of WANT: Women Against Negative Talk
“I can’t do that.” “It’s too hard.” “I’m fat.” As women, negative self-talk is all too common. Belittling and shaming ourselves seems to be an unfortunate and common part of being a woman in our society. This negativity can influence every aspect of our lives without us really realizing it. These default negative phrases can… Continue Reading →
Is exercise even good for you anymore?
“Sweat is fat crying,” said the back of the gym shirt of the man in front of me at the grocery store, who was red-faced and drenched in perspiration. He had succeeded, apparently, in reducing his fat to tears, during his recent workout. I admittedly, at first, found his “motivational” shirt funny. I quickly realized,… Continue Reading →
Why Lauren Conrad is more powerful than anyone probably ever thought
I don’t know much about Lauren Conrad. Just that she was on MTV’s The Hills (or Laguna Beach? Or The OC? Or all three?) and that she now has some lifestyle blog (because who doesn’t?) that covers “primping, dining, decorating, crafting, reading and fashion.” Ms. Conrad is on my radar these days, however, because she… Continue Reading →
Everything that’s wrong with the Dad Bod trend
You have got to be kidding me with this Dad Bod business. As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, a recent piece by Mackenzie Pearson (who’s a student at Clemson University in South Carolina) outlines how and why women now prefer a slight paunch over a six pack when it comes to men’s appearance. Her… Continue Reading →
Why Danielle Brooks’ essay is so important to the body image conversation
Actress Danielle Brooks is making waves in Hollywood. Best known for her role as Tasha “Tastee” Jefferson on the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, Brooks is now enjoying a level of professional success that few actors get to experience. And she recently revealed that she’s enjoying another kind of success, one that is… Continue Reading →
Tina Fey and the bare truth (about shapewear)
The other night, actress/comedian Tina Fey stripped down to her underwear on The Late Show with David Letterman. Ostensibly, it was to “honor” the talk show host ahead of his imminent retirement. But what Fey really did was show the whole world just what it takes for some women to wear a form-fitting dress and… Continue Reading →
A Mother’s Day message for all the moms (and pseudo-moms) from About-Face
Thank you to all the About-Face moms dedicated to helping their children build healthy self-esteem! Happy Mother’s Day! Here are some resources for parents and other adults to give teenagers the tools they need to understand and resist media: Check out our list of resources and organizations that support positive body image, high self-esteem, and empowerment…. Continue Reading →
Why so many celebrities are “waist training”
So yeah, um, no to the whole “waist training” thing that every celebrity alive seems to be trying these days. In the recent past, actress Jessica Alba raved about how wearing a waist trainer day and night for three months helped her lose baby weight. And now we’ve got Scout Willis (daughter of Bruce and… Continue Reading →