Advocating for more realistic portrayals of female characters in the media has been a major part of the third wave of feminism. But in all of our work and efforts, have we been making any strides? Is there anything we can point to and say, “This, my friends, is headed in the right direction”? When Gilmore… Continue Reading →
Spas for tweens: Fun or f*&$ed up?
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 →
Hot Girls Wanted!
Imagine this: You’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, looking at pictures of nana-icecream, puppies, and Taylor Swift’s most recent cute outfit when you’re hit with a naked breast attached to a famous model in a sexy pose on a sofa. This is what our world, our society, and our culture are like today. The overly sexualized… 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 →
Target “loves every body” — but not really
Summer is here. The season conjures images of sun, sand, and relaxation. Unfortunately, it also conjures up thoughts of poor body image in girls and women. We race to the mall, trying to find the most flattering swimsuits that will make us look “smaller.” We scroll through our Facebook newsfeeds and find posts and status updates… Continue Reading →
The case of the working woman’s fashion crisis
Last month, I started my first paid, full-time job. At the beginning, I was anxiously guessing the expectation for women’s fashion at work: what I should wear, how my hair should look, if I needed to wear makeup. I started to feel like no matter what I did to primp and prepare, I never looked as… Continue Reading →
Why I say yes to the dress
What do you do if you find yourself loving a TV show that promotes values you don’t support? Such is the case for me with TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress. The gist of the show is women come to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City with a variety of friends and relatives (their “entourage”)… 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 →
Holland’s Next Top Model just made a huge mistake
Recently, I was working on a part of my PhD thesis wherein I had to describe why my research about body image is important for the broader public. Piece of cake. But my supervisor wasn’t pleased with the final product: “You need to make it crystal clear that body image is a hot topic in… Continue Reading →