From a young age, women are taught to associate important life milestones with how their bodies look. We’re told to suck in our stomachs at our first dance recitals, diet to fit into our high school prom dresses, and search our bodies for evidence of the “Freshman 15” after our first year of college. Not… Continue Reading →
“She’s so beautiful!”: The sexist comment that nobody else noticed
Recently, I was sitting in a room full of people, listening as recent graduates of a medical residency program were congratulated while their photos were shown on a screen in front of the room. When one woman’s photograph came up on the screen, the presenter read the following note from the woman’s family: “To our daughter,… Continue Reading →
Anti-aging, anti-who?
Why, in this day and age, are we bombarded on a daily basis with advertisements for anti-aging products aimed almost exclusively at women? We are constantly pressured to: Look young. “Wow! It’s great that you’re 47, but only because you look 25 and you’re a stunning, hot model.” Be obsessed with anti-aging. Oh, apparently having young-looking skin and a… Continue Reading →
Media proves what we’ve known all along: It’s easy to be trans!
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article contains extreme instances of sarcasm and satire.) Trans awareness is on the rise, especially now that a member of the Kardashian clan has publicly come out to the world as transgender. This heightened exposure of transgender individuals brings attention to the trans community, and since mainstream media is known to portray topics so… Continue Reading →
5 ways you can take a vacation from getting “vacation-ready”
What have you done to get ready for your summer plans? Getting excited for my recent vacation to Lake Tahoe, I was using all of my spare time on Pinterest — of course. As usual, my “quick browsing” evolved into an hourlong surf session of anything having to do with summer. What started as innocent excitement turned into… Continue Reading →
Steps forward: From Gilmore Girls to Orange is the New Black
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 →