By Cam Ostrow When I was 16 years old and feminism was only just beginning to dawn on me, I did what every young and aspiring feminist inevitably does: I Googled “Gloria Steinem.” The first time, I found a wikipedia page, which I could barely find the focus to skim, and the second time, I…
by Stephanie Cole Sometimes, I am unpleasantly surprised when blatant sexism pops up in unexpected places. There are, however, issues where I can always expect to see an unfortunate display of ignorance and sexism. Women’s health is one of these issues. Bring up menstruation, female sexuality, and female anatomy anywhere without a guaranteed population of…
Tired of seeing the same boring, sexist, unrealistic advertising images like this everywhere you look? Fight back and design a positive message of women/girls’ empowerment for a New York City billboard! SPARK (Sexualization Protest: Action, Resistance, Knowledge), Women’s Therapy Centre Institute and Endangered Bodies have access to a prominent billboard in New York City and…
by Ness Fraser As a general rule, I tend to be weary of companies that try to tell me that my body is not good enough — just by nature of being a body. Companies that promote hair removal products, anti-wrinkle creams, and cellulite reducing balms tend to be among the legions of corporations to…
We were thrilled that Jean Kilbourne introduced her newest Media Education Foundation documentary, Killing Us Softly 4, at the SPARK Summit and that MEF became an early SPARK partner! The Media Education Foundation produces and distributes documentary films and other educational resources to inspire critical reflection on the social, political, and cultural impact of American…
By Stephanie Cole With the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II this month, the fiction phenomenon that defined my childhood comes to an undeniable end. Growing up with the young and old characters of the novels and films, and knowing that the most successful literary series if all time was written…
by Maya Brown Sometimes I wonder why celebrities don’t buy their clothes at thrift stores. It would certainly eliminate the tradition of many a teen or women’s magazine, the “Who Wore It Best” conundrum. It is one of the most common problems tackled in virtually every celebrity ridden media source. Because, honestly, what is more…
by Crystal Ogar We’ve all been guilty of loving them. That’s right, I’m talking about reality wedding shows. Reality planning shows run the gamete and television channels that mostly cater to women are infected with them: Bridezilla, Platinum Weddings, and My Fair Wedding, and the list goes on…WE TV and Oxygen give us a total…