Aug

Kiddie Dieting

Our young girls already have enough in the media that chip away at their self-esteem and body image. Now, an author decides to write a children’s book encouraging young girls to go on a diet.

Maggie Goes on a Diet, which hits the shelves Oct. 16, tells the story of 14-year-old Maggie who, well, goes on a diet. After shedding pounds off of her overweight frame, she becomes “normal-sized,” athletic and confident.

The book's cover depicts Maggie, age 14, fantasizing in the mirror about her ideal body. (Source: Amazon.com)

Granted, with childhood obesity on the rise it would be wise for media to help teach our children how to eat healthfully and encourage them to participate in athletic activities. However, I have to question the ultimate impact the book will have on its audience (presumably, young girls). Its message implies that the only way a girl can be truly happy and confident is if she is of a certain dress size. In reality, while we should encourage our children to adopt healthy lifestyle, we should be careful to not equate size to happiness, as this is the message that could be detrimental to their self-esteem well into their adult years.

Trust me. I speak from experience.

Click here to read an article on the book from Huffington Post Women.

ABC News weighed in as well; click here to read their report.

Aug

Reclaiming “Slut”

The recent emergence of “slut walks” has been causing quite a stir in the media, with the latest occurring in my (semi) hometown of Philadelphia.

So, what is the point of an army of scantily clad women taking to the streets? According to a report on NBC, the SlutWalk movement was sparked by a Boston police officer’s comment which reflects the unfortunate opinion of many when it comes to the sexual assault and rape of women” “If didn’t dress like a slut, then she would not have been raped.”

I could go on a 100 mile-long rant on how this police officer is an idiot, how he would think twice about saying that if the victim were, say, his mother, daughter, sister, niece, etc., how the way a woman is dressed is not an invitation to rape no matter what, that rape isn’t a crime caused by uncontrollable sexual urges but by an assailant wanting exercise power and control over their victim and so on. But, I won’t. I think these SlutWalks are doing a great job in not only gaining media attention for a crime that continues to affect women worldwide, but they are also sending a powerful message: we are not “sluts,” we are women who have rights to our bodies and to our sexuality.

Aug

Latina Lesbians and Partner Violence

According to a study conducted by Mujeres Latinas en Accion and Amigas Latinas, it seems as if Latina lesbians in Chicago are enduring a surge in domestic violence.

Out of the 300 women profiled, 49 percent report that their partner attempted to isolate them from family and friends (which is a huge red flag in any relationship, to say the least) 43 percent report that their partner had pushed or hit them, and 31 percent have had a partner threaten their lives.Furthermore, 45 percent admit to have attacked their partner and 25 percent report that they had threatened to kill their partner during a dispute.

Click here to read the full report via the Chicago Sun Times (Photo taken from PhotographicDictionary.com)

As if the discrimination they face (both outside of and within the Hispanic community) was not enough, these women also have the added issue of domestic violence. Small sample size aside, these numbers point to a growing issue. It is already difficult for members of the GLBTQ community, regardless of race, to acquire access to resources that combat domestic violence. This impediment, no doubt, exacerbates domestic violence withing the GLBTQ community overall.

Although the end of the report has a silver lining in that most in the LBTQ are out and have found support, the issue of dating and domestic violence is an ongoing one. Overall, the Medical University of South Carolina reports that 17-45% of lesbians have reported at least one incident of intimate partner violence, and even this number reflects vast underreporting (as do most statistics regarding dating/domestic violence).

As someone who works adamantly on my campus to educate my peers on the dangers of dating violence, the need to raise awareness about and fight it in the heterosexual and homosexual communities is paramount in my eyes. No matter who a woman decides to love, she does not at all deserve to be abused by her partner in any way, shape or form.

Love does not hurt.

The best way to combat abuse is to talk about it. Here is a list of my favorite resources:

Aug

Femininty Doesn’t STEM from Math and Science?

According to a TrueChild report, the answer is “yes,” or at least that’s how our young girls feel.

Statistically, elementary school children show the same interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related topics, but by the 8th grade, girls are outnumbered two to one. Furthermore, by high school girls are less likely to take AP math and science courses, and tend to have lower SAT math scores.

The TrueChild report states that this decrease in interest starts around the 3rd grade when girls begin to “notice” boys and begin internalizing the incorrect notion that women can be either “pretty” or “smart,” not both. This conflict only continues with women who do enter STEM careers. According to a BUST.com piece on the report:

Later on, adult women with careers in engineering are also found to often feel conflicted about choosing between proving that they are “real engineers” or “real women.”

It’s a damn shame that, even now, women are either pigeon-holed into more “conventional” careers or break the mold only to be met with some form of hardship or pressure rather than being rewarded for their efforts. No wonder the gender pay gap persists. It all goes back to what (and how) we teach our girls about brains and beauty.

She could do both-and, so can you (Source: DeviantArt. Click to see original.)

Read BUST.com’s full commentary on the study.

Aug

Lauryn Hill: The Human Vending Machine and How It Relates to Stay-At-Home Moms

First and foremost, Jay Smooth’s commentary always leaves me enlightened; he is a very bright man indeed.

Moving right along: his commentary on Lauryn Hill points to a larger problem women face. Our culture in general has shifted to a mentality that is best summed up from the following lyrics from Beyoncé’s “Run The World (Girls):”

Smart enough to bear the children-then get back to business.

I am all for “working mothers,” but we should not assume that stay-at-home moms are listless drags on society. In fact, I would contend that, with all of the career advancements women have available to them in this age, raising a child is still one of the hardest-if not the hardest-job any individual could undertake.

Raising a child takes a certain level of patience, effort, nurturing and, above all else, time that some of us simply do not have. Stay-at-home moms may not bring home any income, but they are indeed working their asses off and dedicating the most valuable resource of all-time-to raising their children. For this, they should be rewarded, not ridiculed.

Like Lauryn, no woman should be viewed as a “human vending machine,” or any work machine for that matter. Raising children is a legitimate career and should be treated as such.

For more, read this Forbes article that explains why a stay-at-home mom should earn a six-figure salary.

Jul

How to Talk to Little Girls

An article on Think.TV written by Lisa Bloom challenges our culture’s tendency to compliment young girls on their looks or clothes instead of their intelligence. Bloom, the author of Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, states in the piece that asking a little girl what she is reading will do far more for her self-esteem than asking where she got her pretty dress.

Maya (right) is adorable-but, she can also read all by herself. She is five years old. (Source: http://www.Think.tv)

Although there is a mountain of truth in Bloom’s rationale, I think the focus should be on creating a healthy balance between the two. Young girls should be complimented on the total package-being beautiful and smart. Too much of a good thing in any case could be detrimental.

To learn more about Lisa Bloom and "Think," click here. (Source: http://www.Amazon.com)

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