Orthodontia and the pursuit of correcting crooked choppers is big business here in the US and Western cultures. While certainly used for reasons other than aesthetics, the primary purpose for seeing an orthodontist is to correct a misaligned mouth. Historically, a straight smile was a status symbol, implying that those bearing braces or corrective devices… Continue Reading →
United Nations Women Board is led by… not a woman
Let’s get you up to speed. United Nations Women is the combination of gender-equality initiatives within the UN, and works to oversee the operational activities “based on policy directions set by the General Assembly, ECOSOC, and the Commission on the Status of Women” (learn more about them here). The 56th Commission on the Status of… Continue Reading →
PETA strikes again in San Francisco: Women stand in as literal pieces of meat
Women in the media are relentlessly treated like nothing more than pieces of meat, presented as objects for the mindless consumption of the viewers, and for the financial gain of the industries behind sexist marketing tactics. Who would have expected that an organization could take the “women treated as pieces of meat” route so literally? Are… Continue Reading →
Cleavage-clad Jennifer Lawrence on Glamour cover is not what we’re “hunger”ing for
The cover of Glamour’s April issue features Jennifer Lawrence, the actress who portrays the Hunger Games‘ heroine Katniss Everdeen, in a bosom-bearing one piece outfit. In the book, Katniss is a symbol of strength, but this photo subdues that strength with a side dish of sexy. The upcoming movie adaptation of the first installment of the… Continue Reading →
Skinnygirl Cocktails: Because we all want to be a skinny girl
Skinnygirl cocktails sounds like a great idea at first (to some) but I’m not buying it (figuratively and literally). The existence of these low-cal beverages, always marketed toward women, contribute to the larger cultures of reinforcing gender binaries, body shaming, and the diet industry. This type of gendered marketing is frequently based on false stereotypes that… Continue Reading →
America: Once we start to sexualize our M&Ms, we know something’s wrong.
Most everyone loves M&Ms. They’re delicious, colorful, melt-in-your-mouth goodness… Right? That was my opinion, until I realized just how sexist the characterization of America’s favorite candy really is. Sexism comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be as prominent as the wage gap or as subtle as the words “manmade” or “mankind.” It’s important… Continue Reading →
PETA – People for the Egregious Treatment of Adult (Women)
You’d think an organization like PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — would be a proactive organization, readily supporting healthy, happy agendas to get people living healthier lifestyles. Right? Wrong. PETA is one of the worst culprits of objectification and sexualization of women. Somehow, PETA tries to equate pornographic images of half-naked… Continue Reading →
Removing Disney fat-shaming exhibit doesn’t change the message
Recently, Disney jumped on the latest trend, fat shaming, and opened an exhibit at Epcot called Habit Heroes. The interactive game featured two “heroes,” the buff Will Power and Callie Stenics. Cute names, huh? Unfortunately, the cuteness stops there. Will and Callie’s virtue and worth are based entirely on their able-bodied physicality, and the villains… Continue Reading →
Autom the weight-loss robot wants to be your friend. Forever. Forever. Forever.
Have you ever wished you could combine a calorie calculator iPhone application with a stripped down Furby? Well, wish no more! The creators of a new part-dietician, (mostly) part-robot device found what may have been the final gap in the ever-expanding weight loss product market, and thus, Autom was born. Unfortunately, the dream of owning such… Continue Reading →