Activism
Mom & Pop Culture: Drowning in the Fountain Of Youth
Dressing up and pretending to be an adult is a natural part of childhood. Adults (just like fairies, kings, or queens) hold a bit of allure and enticement for young kids, making it a treat to pretend to be them for a while.
Yet, in today’s consumer-driven culture, the notion of “aging up”... Read more »
The 99%: "Talk like a Cover Girl" and the Classing of Voice on America's Next Top Model
But most of the time, when Tyra is talking about the contestants’ speech, she’s talking about their accents. And when she’s talking about their accents, she’s talking about class.
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Mom & Pop Culture: Cataloged Stereotypes
Ads in these catalogs go beyond the usual gender stereotypes of girls playing with kitchens and dolls (or using only female pronouns in the write ups for the doll toys: “Her First Doll! She’ll Love it!”) and boys playing with trucks. When I sift through the catalogs that have accumulated over... Read more »
Sebelius Overrules FDA: Plan B Won't Be Sold Over the Counter
By now you’ve probably heard the bad news:
In what can only be called an astounding move by an Administration that pledged on... Read more »
Mom & Pop Culture: Beyond Pink & Blue Toys
If you know even one kid, you already know they’re more than a stereotype of their gender with a myriad of interests—so why don’t toy manufacturers and ad executives acknowledge this?
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Adventures in Feministory: Ella Baker
Ella Baker is best known for her involvement in the civil rights movement during the late 1950s and 1960s, when she helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent... Read more »
The 99%: "Money Can't Buy You Class"
A very special thank you to the Countess LuAnn of the Real Housewives of New York for supplying the title to today’s post. I doubt this is what the Countess was going for, but she brings up a good point: what’s the difference between having money and having... Read more »
Mom & Pop Culture: Muppet Mania
The Kermit I see is sensitive, silly and sweet. He sings with abandon, despite not having an auto-tuned perfect voice. He talks about his feelings, and friends, and rainbows. Jim Henson created Kermit in the Free To Be You and Me-fueled culture of the ’70s, when people were itching... Read more »
The H-Word: Was it Good for You?
This is my final post for The H-Word, where I say thanks and you tell me what you loved and hated.
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The 99%: Exploring Wealth, Poverty, and Inequality in Popular Culture
I’ve got 99 problems with American television, and the rich are one. We have lots of shows about rich people—in fact, we love shows about rich people. With Gossip Girl, The Millionaire Matchmaker, Revenge, Real Housewives of _______, ... Read more »
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