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Research Blog: Sexualization in Song Lyrics has Skyrocketed in the Past Decade

The SPARK Research Blog:  Real Talk about Really New Research on the Sexualization of Girls, is brought to you by the ASAP Initiative at Hunter/CUNY, one of the SPARK leadership team partners.  The goal of the bi-monthly SPARK Research Blog is to tell you about the latest research findings in clear and plain language, with a…

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Thelma and Louise: Two Decades of Feminist Action

By Diana Martinez When I first saw Thelma and Louise, I was just still a young girl. At this point I had been exposed to feminism as a child, but I had never seen any women as brazen and kick-ass as these two characters. Before I knew what patriarchy was, I understood it through this…

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SPARK Is Taking Princess Back

By Stephanie Cole There is no doubt that a manufactured concept of the term “princess” has been a primary tool of our current culture’s limiting construction of girlhood. I’m sure any parent can attest that a multitude of pink “princess” shirts, poufy dresses, and the ubiquitous Disney Princess product line are impossible to avoid as…

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Women’s Rights are Human Rights, Not Animal Rights

By Melissa Campbell As came to light recently, PETA is opening up a porn site. PETA.xxx (for real) is, according to PETA spokespeople, going to help viewers “question the status quo.” Because of course, nothing says “questioning the status quo” quite like making women’s bodies the objects of mass consumption. How brilliantly radical of you,…

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Bunnies, Flight Attendants, and Suburbanites, Oh My!

By Maya Brown The new fall lineup is upon us. We’ve seen promos, we’ve heard spoilers, and we’ve watched interviews. We’ve read discussions about the new breakout shows and excited blogs about which will be the funniest. Well, here are my top three shows to avoid by all means–or at least to watch on Hulu…

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We Do Not Owe The World Our Beauty

By Ness Fraser As a recent college graduate, I know first-hand how hard it is to get a job. I applied to numerous companies without so much as a “no thanks” in return, had a couple of interviews that turned into nothing, and it wasn’t until I got pretty close to my “oh shit I…

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Not 'The Next Big Thing'

By Culley Schultz American Apparel is notorious for carrying its products in small sizes, ultimately cutting the “average” woman from their demographic. The chain’s lack of products to fit buyers wearing above a size 10/12 (American Apparel’s current “large”) has been controversial to say the least.  So now American Apparel is doing something about it.…

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There's Nothing Vogue About Sexed-Up Princesses

By If you’re like me and thought the Disney princesses were already too skinny and too perfect, you’re going to be horrified by these new drawings of them. On the cover of a pretend Vogue magazine spread, you’ll find Ariel, Pocahontas, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White, and Aurora, but shown in clothing and poses that rips…

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