Feminism, Pop-Culture | Posted by mbond on 03/1/2013
Sexism On Late Night TV: Even Jimmy Fallon Isn’t Immune
Jimmy Fallon is charming, enthusiastic, and totally non-controversial. Ask any fan or casual “Late Night” viewer, and you’ll hear things like, “Yeah, he seems like a really nice guy.” Recently, however, Fallon was also the conduit for Artie Lange (a washed-up comedian and self-identified “G-List” celebrity) to spew sexism and to promote ogling and objectifying women as a vehicle for male bonding.
A quick summary: On Fallon’s February 18th show, Lange shared a story of meeting NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown at a celebrity football game. Rather than playing in the game, Lange and Brown both sat on the bench and occupied themselves by “staring Kate Upton’s ass.” Upton is a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and she was wearing “real tight pants” that day, by Lange’s account. During the …
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Feminism | Posted by Talia on 01/25/2013
Israel’s “Photoshop Law”
As of January 1, what the media has dubbed the “Photoshop Law” has gone into effect in Israel. This law mandates that models working in Israel have to have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 18.5, the lowest healthy BMI possible, and companies have to clearly label advertisements containing pictures that were even slightly Photoshopped. Foreign ads must also comply. Considering 10% of teenagers in Israel suffer from eating disorders and anorexia is the number-one killer in the 15-24 age group, this law was sorely needed.
Rachel Adato, the sponsor of the bill, has been very involved in women’s health throughout her career. She served as the Chairperson of the National Council for Women’s Health and Advisor to the Minister of Health on Women’s Health, and was a …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Chloe H on 07/25/2012
Celebrating Our Bodies
Don’t you hate it when you see another girl and she looks perfect? You know, the way you want to look but can never seem to pull off. She has the perfect outfit, or the perfect face, perfect hair, perfect body. Usually, when we get this feeling we are standing in front of a billboard with the picture of an actress, or we are looking at a fashion magazine and we see a model in an ad campaign or an editorial. You get that twisty feeling in your stomach, and maybe you feel a little jealous. Maybe you think, “Why can’t I look like her?” But guess what? That girl that you’re staring at, whether she’s an image, a mirage or maybe even a real girl — she has felt …
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Feminism | Posted by Gina S on 04/2/2012
The Flip Side of the Coin, or Just Because I’m Skinny Doesn’t Mean I Have An Eating Disorder
It’s a common presumption in our society that if you’re female, tall and skinny, you have it all. You are the perfect woman: you have the attributes of a high fashion model, and you should be extremely self-confident because you have it made. The truth, however, is much different.
When I was younger, I was bullied for five years because of my height and weight. “Oh they’re just jealous because you’re tall and skinny,” my well-meaning family members would say. “They just want to be like you.” But they didn’t want to be like me, because I was miserable beyond belief and the bullying was making me pick out tiny little things about myself that I hated. One by one, I listed off all the many things I hated about …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Avigayil H on 03/2/2012
Giving It Up
If you had asked me six months ago if I was affected by the media’s presentation of women, I would have responded with an unequivocal no. Yes, TV and magazines bombard us with horribly warped images of what a woman is and should be, but after all, I’m a feminist. I can expose myself to images of impossibly skinny, tall, well-dressed teens and look at them with clear eyes and my self-esteem intact. I know they’re not real! Besides, I think I’m attractive already, and just like to read the fashion magazines for the outfits, and nothing else. So what if I skim over the “how to get a hot guy to hook up with you” sections? This stuff really can’t possibly have any effect on me!
This was my …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Talia on 12/28/2011
Down With Photoshopping
Retouching photographs of models in magazines and newspapers has been a point of controversy in the publishing industry ever since technology like Photoshop has become readily available. Most magazines, especially ones dedicated to fashion and/or celebrity stalking, have no qualms about retouching “imperfect” pictures. I think this practice is absolutely reprehensible.
There are instances when it’s appropriate to retouch photograph. For example, if a person in a photograph has red eye or some stray hairs, or the lighting isn’t good, or if there’s some other imperfection that doesn’t change the concept of the picture to a ridiculous degree, I don’t see a problem with that. I do take issue with pictures retouched to the point that the original subject is unrecognizable or completely changed, especially in the mass media.
Dozens …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Fiona L on 11/2/2011
There’s Nothing Real About These “Real Beauty” Campaigns
Although at first it appears that companies like Dove and Bare Minerals have taken a step in the right direction by running “Real Beauty” campaigns, there’s often nothing real about them.
When I see an ad that claims to feature real women, yet the woman are still remarkably flawless, it doesn’t do a whole lot for me. At least when I see a model in an advertisement I can tell myself that the way she looks is fake, enhanced by photo shop, and probably required harmful eating practices. When I see an ad that claims to be “real” or represent “average women,” yet not a single woman weighs over 140 pounds (the average weight of an American woman) I can’t help but feel as if I’m imperfect, and the rest …
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Pop-Culture | Posted by Becka W on 07/5/2011
The Enigma of the Bra
Fashion is pain, and pain is beauty. Right?
I complimented a friend on a new sundress recently, and she thanked me and then showed me her clever solution to the dress’ lacy strap area – she put a scarf on to hide her bra peeking through. As cute as the ensemble was, there was that voice at the back of my head saying – why? Why does my friend have to have a whole other accessory in order to accomplish wearing a dress?
We all have outfits like this. I have 3 or 4 gorgeous dresses where a tank top is required underneath to ensure classy cleavage. 3 pairs of adorable heels where I need to make sure I’m wearing a band-aid on my heel. They’re small little sacrifices – …
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