Violent and Sexist Portrayal of Women in Advertising Continue reading
Martha Nussbaum and Her Mother
Martha Nussbaum on her childhood and parents Continue reading
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May 9, 2013
Paycheck Fairness Act
While the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 ensures that employees can file a suit for gender discrimination based on the initial unfair paycheck issued by her employer, the Paycheck Fairness Act is designed to counter the “factor other … Continue reading
Women’s Role in the Wage Gap
Women’s contribution to the wage g Continue reading
Female Power in Zero Dark Thirty
Kathryn Bigelow directs Zero Dark Thirty’s female protagonist as strong, determined, and brilliant. Continue reading
Rape is Like a Football Game
Empowering Girls and Women discusses UNC- Chapel Hill’s Rape is like a football game statement. Continue reading
Congress Passed Violence Against Women Act
This is a letter sent to me by the Polaris Project, an anti-human trafficking site that I follow and support. The Violence against Women Act has passed and is on its way to be signed by President Obama. Under this … Continue reading
V-Day: Join the One Billion Rising to End Violence against Women
Empowering Girls and Women invites you to join One Billion Rising and She Writes to organize towards an end to violence against women on this Valentine’s Day, 2013. Continue reading
Book Cover Controversy Over Plath’s The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, which chronicles a young woman’s mental decline and based on Plath’s own emotional breakdown when she was young, has reached its 50th anniversary. As a birthday present, its publisher Faber has assigned a new cover, … Continue reading
Super Bowl and Sex Trafficking
Empowering Girls and Women discusses the superbowl and how it advocates sexism and sex trafficking while securing millions of cash. Continue reading
No Girls in Youth Football?
Sign Petition to allow girls to play youth football if that is what they want to do. Continue reading
Book For Girls: I Want to be a Cowgirl
Empowering Girls and Women recommends a children’s book for girls by Jeanne Willis c Continue reading
6 Empowering Resolutions for 2013
Marina DelVecchio makes a few suggestions about setting goals — not resolutions — with which to empower yourselves in 2013. The key is to feed yourselves! Continue reading
Top 5 Feminist Books Women Must Read
Empowering Girls and Women recommends the 5 top feminist books you can share with women in your lives. Continue reading
Empowering Christmas Gifts for Girls
Empowering Girls and Women makes a Christmas list of empowering dolls and toys for girls this season. Continue reading
Putting Pressure on Advertisers that Objectify Girls and Women
The following post is written by and republished here with the permission of Erin Mcneill, who runs a fabulous site called Marketing, Media, and Childhood. If there’s one thing that can make my head explode, it’s when companies rationalize the … Continue reading
SeeJane.Org: An Inspiration to Girls Everywhere
Every mom, dad, girl, and young woman out there should pass along this great message from SeeJane.org, part of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media, which explores the fact that young girls are exposed to 7 hours of … Continue reading
Top 100 Women in Ecommerce
The following YouTube video lists the top 100 women in ecommerce featured in WE Magazine for Women. Thank you to all of them for their ambition, dedication, and for providing our young girls with positive and real role models who … Continue reading
Intimate Partner Violence and Rape Statistics
Intimate partner violence is the newest term for domestic violence. How do we define intimate partner violence? According to Michele McKeon, ”intimate partner violence is a pattern of coercive tactics used to maintain power and control over an intimate partner.” Some … Continue reading
Sexism in the Workforce
This is an interesting interview that examines how far women have really come in terms of equality. Yes, we have come a long way, but we still need to go further to be considered equal members of society. Some solutions … Continue reading
Hysteria and the Beauty Myth
How the beauty myth derails women’s efforts at empowerment Continue reading
Disney and Barney’s Sexy Version of Minnie Mouse
Stop Barneys and Walt Disney World from altering the image of Minnie Mouse to a tall and size 0 version, which fosters an impossible body image for little girls. Sign this petition at change.org Continue reading
Are you a Feminist?
Identifying as a feminist is not a popular choice among men and women today. Most people think that feminism has done as much as it can possibly do, and is now over; others think that it has failed women and … Continue reading
Women in Technology Rising
Here’s a very cool and informative infographic that the special individuals from MBAOnline, an online mag for MBA students, recently shared with me. The information they share on their site is equally relevant to women and the number of them … Continue reading
Gloria Steinem : Feminist Icon
I just came across a few clips of Gloria Steinem that I thought you would find interesting. In this clip, she is being interviewed by Rebecca Jarvis, who discusses with her a new documentary that is being prepared called “Gloria … Continue reading
Barack Obama Meets Pimp with a Limp
Marinagraphy questions why Barack feels “humbled” to interview with a man who calls himself “Pimp,” advocating not only a culture of music centered on female objectification, but also a culture that applauds men’s identification with pimps, the lowest forms of humanity. Read more here… Continue reading
Agent Query Rejections
Marina DelVecchio writes about her experiences with querying literary agents and receiving rejections. She writes, “But today they are looking for different words: an audience, marketable, credentials, publishing history, a platform. And I am trying to appease.” Read more here… Continue reading
Kelly Clarkson and My Dark Side
Kelly Clarkson is one of my favorite artists. I find her work, at times, heart-wrenching because she writes from this place I seem to understand. I spent this past summer listening to her new album, and when I heard the … Continue reading
U.S. Women’s Volleyball Champions Pose Naked
Marina DelVecchio discusses the objectification and disempowerment that is associated with U.S. Women’s Volleyball Champs stripping naked for ESPN Magazine. Continue reading
5 Things Not to Do When an Agent Calls
5 Things Not to Do When an Agent Calls Continue reading
Marinagraphy Listed in Top 100 Blogs for Empowering Women
I just found out that Marinagraphy was listed as one of the top 100 women’s empowerment blogs of 2012 by The Institute of the Psychology of Eating. This is a feat, and I am happy to have received this honor. … Continue reading
Virginia Woolf and A Room Of [My] Own
Marina DelVecchio shows how she has taken the advice of Vriginai Woolf and taken on a job, making her own money, using her own wits, and establishing a room of her own in which this independence can occur. Continue reading
Bloomberg’s War on Moms
Mayor Bloomberg showed his usurpation of power and lack of common sense when he banned soda for the good of the people. Today he bans baby formula from new moms, forcing them to breastfeed. What’s next? Is he going to … Continue reading
Sexism in Rushdie’s The Enchantress of Florence
In a recent review of Salman Rushdie’s latest novel, The Enchantress of Florence for Her Circle Ezine, I discussed the ways with which Rushdie defines women in his work. This was the first time that I read any of his books, … Continue reading
PlayMoolah:Teaching Kids About Money
Friday’s Feature: Today’s featured women include Min Xuan Lee and Audrey Tan, who have recently launched PlayMoolah, an app that teaches children how to manage their money. And they’re women! I recently came to know about them and about this app … Continue reading
How Turning 40 Changed Me
http://www.habitat.org/wb/default.aspx Continue reading
Books Kids Should Be Reading
This is written by Noami Esterly, who divides her time between managing a house of three boys (her husband and two kids), volunteering in her community center and writing freelance for 1800Wheelchair.Com. In her guest post below she recommends great books kids … Continue reading
Infidelity in Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” and “Sex and the City”
This post explores infidelity in Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” and “Sex and the City” Continue reading
Oral Health For Women
There are of course numerous differences between women and men with regard to health and the body. For example, men and women build muscle differently, age differently, store fat differently, etc. One aspect of bodily health that at least seems … Continue reading
Liberating the Writer Within
I’d like to talk about the ways writers, including myself, feel overpowered and oppressed, which deters us from doing what we want to do and love doing: writing. Every week I go to the gym and spend an hour at … Continue reading
How Ernest Hemingway Became a Writer
Using ‘The Paris Wife,” this post examines how Ernest Hemingway became a successful writer. Continue reading
Stephen King’s Advice on Writing
A few weeks ago, I posted an article on Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, and focused on the tools of writing that every writer needs to have in his toolbox. This week, I am concentrating on the third part … Continue reading
Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey
This post shows how the childhood trauma experienced by Christian Grey redeems the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, in spite of its weak heroine and trite writing. Continue reading
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June 19, 2012
Annie Lennox Defends Feminism
Annie Lennox has some comments to make about feminism — it should be celebrated. Continue reading
How to Create Unforgettable Characters
Advice from famous writers about how to creat characters that are unforgettable. Continue reading
Stephen King’s and a Writer’s Toolbox
Based on Stephen King’s memoir on writing, this post clarifies the 6 essential tools a writer must have in his/her toolbox. Continue reading
8th Grader’s Petition against Seventeen Magazine
There is a petition that a young ballet dancer began against Seventeen magazine for portraying unrealistic images of girls, which pressures young girls to try to fulfill. Continue reading
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Advice on Writing
‘Eat, Pray, Love’s’ author Elizabeth Gilbert gives some sound and realistic advice on writing as a craft and a career. Continue reading
Book Review:Seven Brave Women
A book review of a children’s book by Betsy Hearnes titled ‘Seven Brave Women.” This is a wonderful exploration of the women in Hearnes’ family, showing their bravery, strength, and empowerment while living during major wars in American History. Continue reading
Marge Piercy’s “The Ordinary Gauntlet”
An analysis of “The Ordinary Gauntlet,” and how Marge Piercy portrays the male gaze as a violent act and a violation of women. Continue reading
Dancing with Confidence
How young women today can maintain a healthy sense of self. Continue reading
Sex, Violence, and Prostitution
Feminist and Law Professor Catharine A. MacKinnon, discusses sexuality and pornography as socially constructed forms of oppression that degrade women. Continue reading
Disney’s Mothers on Mother’s Day 2012
A collection of clips that portray the love and devotion of mothers in some of our beloved Disney tales. Continue reading
5 Best Quotes on Writing
From Stephen King to Anton Chekhov, here are 5 excellent quotes for writers on writing. Continue reading
Glee and Domestic Abuse
Glee’s recent episode takes a keen look at domestic violence through music Continue reading
National Princess Week, Oh My!
A compiled list of the conversation on the recent marketing technique enforced by Disney towards little girls. Can it get any worse? Continue reading
How to Succeed When You’ve Been Given Nothing
Using “In Plain Sight” as a starter, this post discusses how we endeavor to succeed in life — to prove ourselves — even though no one told us we could. Continue reading
Plastic Surgery and your Self Confidence
An article about the connection between self-confidence and breast implants. Continue reading
Buffalo Girls: 8-Year-Old Muay Thai Fighters
8-year-old girls fight professionally so they can feed their families in Thailand. Continue reading
Celebrating Judith Butler and Her Work on Gender
Celebrating Judith Butler whose work focuses on gender identity. Continue reading
Liberal and Radical Feminist:Which One Are You?
While reading about the differences between liberal and radical feminism for my Women’s Studies course, I was doing so with a hungry appetite because I would like to know where I fit in. I was defined as a “cultural” feminist … Continue reading
Maxim’s “How to Cure a Feminist”
Maxim’s 2003 article focuses on how men can use tricks to cure women of their feminist ideals — and get them to shave and wear red lipstick. Continue reading
Femen Protest Ukraine Gang Rape
Femen, a topless women’s group in Ukraine, protest the police handling of a gang-rape and attempted murder of an 18-year-old girl by three young men in their early twenties, who were released from jail without bail shortly after their assaults on this girl. Continue reading
Bride Trafficking with Laura Barry
Just this weekend I was engrossed in a documentary called “Bride Trafficking Unveiled,” written and directed by Laura Barry, who travels to Thailand to ask why young women volunteer as mail order brides via the internet. For the Western men, … Continue reading
Women Building Bombers in WWII
A historic documentary from 1943 that shows women building bombers for WWII. Continue reading
Top Ten Suffragists
Top ten women that contributed to our right to vote back when they had no voice in public spheres like politics. Continue reading
Women in the World
Features the Women in the World section of the Daily Beast with excellent videos from the summit featuring great female leaders throughout the world and the challenges they face as women in leadership positions. Continue reading
State Rape: Politicizing Women’s Bodies
Check this video out on the potential harm Personhood amendment will have on women and their bodies if it passes. Continue reading
Shadya: Muslim Feminist and Karate World Champion
Shadya, a 17 year old Karate World Champion who lives in Israel — a role model for all women and young girls Continue reading
Celebrating Women’s History Month
Celebrating March as Women’s History Month, which is centered on education and empowerment Continue reading
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Movie on Working Mothers
Sarah Jessica Parker’s “I Don’t Know How She Does It” makes an interesting commentary on working mothers. Continue reading
Best Colleges for Women in STEM fields
featuring an article on the best colleges for women in STEM fields. Continue reading
How to Choose After School Activities for your Child
This guest blogger offers some suggestions in finding the right after-school activities for you children. Continue reading
The Importance of Fighting Back
The following article discusses the importance of self defense for women, and provides steps one can take to defend herself. Continue reading
Girls, Science, and Potential
TEDxWomen video of 3 award winners in Google Science Fair Continue reading
Super Bowl and Sex Trafficking
A round up of articles on Sex trafficking during this year’s super Bowl in Indianapolis Continue reading
Girls, Math, and Science
a list of toys and games that empower girls Continue reading
Misrepresentation of Women in Media
Misrepresentation of Women in Media Continue reading
A Nairobi Girl’s Life
Molly records what her life is like in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Continue reading
Investing in Girls and Women
An infographic that shows why we should all be investing in the future of women and girls. Continue reading
Over-protectiveness: Is it good or bad for your child?
This guest blogger discusses the disadvantages of being over-protective parents. Continue reading
Women’s Mixed Martial Arts
A video that highlights the toughest and strongest female fighters in MMA Continue reading
Girls Want Superheroes, Too
Little Girl on YouTube goes off on toy stores and how they pinkify and girlify girls’ toys, which lack the existence of superheroes for girls. Continue reading
Force LEGO to Stop Selling Sexist Toys to Girls
Sign petition to stop LEGO from selling sexist toys to girls Continue reading
How LEGO Loses Girls
A roundup of discussion on LEGO’s “girly” version of lego toys, which restricts girls’ view of themselves and their potential Continue reading
New Year’s Resolutions for Women
8 New Year’s Resolutions that will empower women and give them self-confidence and inner strength Continue reading
Geena Davis and Exposing Kids to Positive Media Images of Girls
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media works to change the way women are represented in the media, as they have a negative impact on the self-esteem of girls. Continue reading
Moms vs. Santa
How new Best Buy commercials show moms competing with Santa for best presents. Continue reading
How Giving Girls Journals Benefits their Self-Esteem
How Giving Girls Journals Benefits their Self-Esteem Continue reading
How Media Teaches Objectification of Girls
How our children are inundated with negative and sexual images of women and girls through advertising — and how this attitude is becoming normal. Continue reading
5 Top Working Mom Links
Since getting a full-time job teaching at the college, I feel stressed and overworked and more underpaid than I was when adjuncting, writing, and parenting. Now my work — in the office and at home — have doubled, and I … Continue reading
Women’s News Roundup: Rape, OWS, Bride Trafficking, and Facebook
Women’s News Roundup: Links to news about bride trafficking in India, Rape at Occupy Wall Street, Jane Austen’s “murder,” and Rape Jokes on Facebook. Continue reading
5 Reasons Why Many Women Want Larger Breasts
5 Reasons Women Want Larger Breasts Continue reading
Bethany Hamilton: Sassy Surfer
Celebrates Bethany Hamilton’s courage in teaching herself to surf and compete even after a shark took her arm. Continue reading
10 Ways to Empower and Support Your Daughter
10 Ways to Empower and Support Your Daughter Continue reading
Girl Power 101
Volleyball’s Hard hitter, Jade Hayes is a role model for all little gi Continue reading
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October 29, 2011
Village Voice Makes Money off Child Prostitution
Sign petition to stop Village Voice media from sex trafficking Continue reading
Breast implants, Really?
How the suicide rates for women who get breast impants have risen. Continue reading
Sex Trafficking in Film
Marina DelVecchio writes about the movie ‘Taken,’ as inspiration for a discussion on how sex-trafficking is viewed as a “business” that fulfills the needs of supply and demand. Continue reading
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October 17, 2011
Polaris Project, Sex Trafficking, and TVPRA
Urge representatives to include the language of H.R. 2730, Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act into the 2011 TVPRA during the mark up session.
Saudi Women and their Voting Rights
Saudi women get to vote in 2015. Continue reading
Act Against Sexist “Allergic to Algebra” Merchandise for Girls
Take action against merchandise that limits girls’ attitudes toward their bodies and potential. Continue reading
Why Aren’t You a Feminist?
Explores various definitions of feminism and asks women why they would not consider themselves feminists. Continue reading
When Cinderella Eats Self-Esteem
How Disney Princesses contribute to poor self-image and low self-esteem in our girls. Continue reading
Botox for Girls
Botox for little girls is increasing, to the detriment of our girls’ self-image. Continue reading
Not Another Playboy Club
Karen Wojcik Berner, author of “Whisper to a Scream,” a series about the lives of the members of a suburban classics book club, offers her views on the new NBC show “The Play Boy Club” and what it really means to live the life of a Playboy Bunny. Continue reading
Amy Siskind, Fox News, and Sarah Palin Running in 2012
TNA’s Amy Siskind on Fox News, discussing possible Sarah Palin run in 2012, and why she just might be the kid of leader we need. Continue reading
Gloria Steinem on HBO
Gloria Steinem: In Her Own Words — an HBO special that addresses the question, “What do you want the future of feminism to look like?” Continue reading
The Price of Motherhood: Devaluing Women
Ann Cittenden discusses the devaluing of women’s work in raising the family Continue reading
Beautiful Girls and Makeup
Statistics on how much money girls between the ages of 8-12 spend on makeup and who’s really at fault. Continue reading
Celebrating Muay Thai Fighter Gina Carano
Celebrating Muay Thai Fighter, Gina Carano, and tough and determined winner in a male-dominated sport. Continue reading
Turning Forty: A Woman in Decades
Turning forty is about learning and embracing those lessons. Continue reading
Revenue of Disney Princess Products
How Disney profits have skyrocketed with the sales of Princess products at the cost of our girls’ self-esteem Continue reading
How Verizon Silences the Mother
How Verizon’s new commercial silences the mother in her purchases Continue reading
How Women Can Protect Themselves and Their Homes
How women can protect themselves and their homes by investing in a home security system Continue reading
Survival Skills Based on Gender in Larry Crowne and Bridesmaids
How films like Larry Crowne and Bridesmaids portray men as strong and women as vapid and emotional. Continue reading
Corrective Rape in South Africa
Male gangs in South Africa feel they have a right to “cure” women of their lesbian tendencies. 500,000 rapes occur yearly in South Africa. Continue reading
Support Caylee’s Law
Petition on Change.org supports new law to ensure no other missing children suffer the unjust fate of Caylee Anthony. Continue reading
Conservative Social Agendas are Taking Away Women’s Rights
Conservative Social Agendas are Taking Away Women’s Rights Continue reading
10 Tips on Encouraging Your Children to Get Organized
How to help your children get organized Continue reading
Sassy Mariah Reed: Xtreme Cage Fighter
Mariah Reed, 17-year-old College Student trains with men to be the next xtreme cage fighter. Continue reading
Celebrating Geena Davis and Her Work for Girls
Celebrating Geena Davis for establishing an organization aimed at portraying strong female characters in the media, in sports, and in the world. Continue reading
SlutWalk: Act of Empowerment or Costume Party
How the SlutWalk is not an empowering march for any woman. Continue reading
Sassy Fight Club Girls
The Girls on Film take on Fight Club for girls Continue reading
Healthy MEdia Stands Up for Girls Self Image
Healthy MEdia Stands Up for Girls Self Image by encouraging advertisers to consult psychologists Continue reading
Gender Identity in Music Videos
How music videos teach men to treat women as sexual objects and the passive recipients of male aggression Continue reading
Girls and Effects of Rape in Alice Hoffman’s ‘The Story Sisters’
How Alice Hoffman draws a realistic portrait of a raped girl forced to rely on her own resources in dealing with her rape because her parents are blind to the signs Continue reading
Fathers and Daughters: A Powerful Relationship
On this Father’s Day, instead of writing about my father or my husband as a father, which I have already done, I wanted to expose you to three great YouTube Videos I came across on the important relationship between father … Continue reading
Sassy Girls in Soccer: Elizabeth Lambert
Elizabeth Lambert: Sassy Soccer Player who demonstrates that women can be tough, rough, and aggressive. Continue reading
5 Best Tweets on Empowering Girls and Women
5 Best Tweets on Empowering Girls and Women Continue reading
Is your Daughter Safe at Work?
Are your daughters prepared for sexual harassment on their first jobs? Continue reading
Sassy Women Boxing
Thomas Edison Company’s 1901 clip of the Gordon sisters boxing it out in the ring. Continue reading
Tired of Weinergate? Why Not Run?
Anthony Weiner, Philandering Governors, and why more women should run for political office. Continue reading
Girls on the Run for Empowerment
Girls on the Run International is more than just a running program — it empowers girls between the ages of 8-12. Continue reading
Celebrating Danica McKellar: Encouraging Girls in Math
The Wonder Years’ Danica McKellar earns degree in Mathematics and writes books that encourage girls in math Continue reading
Resisting Motherhood in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Motherhood is not every woman’s objective. Continue reading
Stereotypes are Affecting Girls’ SAT and AP Scores in STEM Fields
Although girls have high grades in math courses, their lack of confidence deters them from doing as well in standardized exams. See the reasons why. Continue reading
Support the Alleged Rape Victim of Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Sign petition started by International Feminists to support the alleged rape victim of Dominique Strauss-Kahn — another case in which the rapist is offered support and the victim is castigated. Continue reading
Short Skirts and Inappropriate Gender Messages in Tide Commercial
How the Tide Commercial sends negative messages about sexualized and pacified versions of femininity. Continue reading
Celebrating Katie Goodman
Katie Goodman’s video on how we are all responsible for the waywardness of our world today. Continue reading
The Role of Mentoring for Women
The value of women mentoring Younger women in their fields, especially in politics, corporate venues, and wall street. Continue reading
Wednesday’s Woman: Aphra Behn
A Pioneer of Her time, Aphra Behn gave voice and sexual identity to women in her work and in life Continue reading
Sex Education a la American Idol
How American Idol contradicts its family show ideal by bringing on salacious guest stars. Continue reading
NC Woman Losing Custody of Her Children Because She Has Cancer
Stop NC Courts from Taking kids away from Cancer Mom Continue reading
Girls, Sports, and Nike Ads for Empowerment
How recent Nike ads venture to present the strong and empowered side of girls and women. Continue reading
The Truth About Mothers
How all mothers are women with their own problems and dreams and needs, which often coincide with motherhood. Continue reading
Mothers, and Need Vs. Want
How, in mothers, you get what you need and not necessarily what you think you need or want. Continue reading
From Little Girl to Business Woman
Verizon’s newest commercial with Susie’s lemonade stand shows positive reinforcement of little girls achieving big — Good job, Verizon. Continue reading
Girl Power in ‘Sucker Punch’, ‘Hanna’, and ‘Winter’s Bone’
How representations of female characters in film are often eroticized to suit the needs of men. Continue reading
Women ‘Mentor Up’ with The New Agenda
The New Agenda, an organization devoted to giving women a voice in the world, will host its annual event on May 18th in New York City at the Rubin Museum of Art. This year’s event and campaign message focus squarely of mentoring. Continue reading
Women in Refrigerators:Tropes of Violence against Women
Gail Simone and her list of comic book heroines who face death or savage abuses in order to give male hero purpose Continue reading
Pimps Branding Sex Trafficked Victims
How Pimps are now branding girls via tattoo parlors to show possession of the girls they traffic illegally and against their will — sign the petition that will prevent tatooists from branding them Continue reading
What’s Wrong with Real Women?
How media contributes to the negative self-image of young girls and women through their sexist representations of women. Continue reading
Redefining Dora: From Explorer to Princess
How Dora is changing from Explorer to Princess, and what this means for our little girls Continue reading
How to Turn Creativity and Imagination On
Highlights the ‘Imagine it Project’ vimeo that inspires dreams, creativity, and imagination for all ages. Continue reading
Media, Misogyny, and Dead Women
How the media portray women in parts, dehumanized, objectified, and how it contributes to violence against women Continue reading
Kanye West’s ‘Monster’ and Misogyny
How Kanye West’s ‘Monster’ misogynistic video represents women as fragmented corpses for the pleasure of men Continue reading
How Blogging Benefits Writers
4 Ways Blogging Benefits Writers Continue reading
How Disney Teaches Gender Roles
Old-fashioned stereotypes perpetuated by Disney movies affect how our boys and girls see themselves and their potential. Continue reading
Bill Maher, Misogyny, and Petitioning His Exit
Sign the petition to oust Bill Maher for his sexist and vulgar comments towards women Continue reading
How to Get Your Kids to Love Reading
Effective strategies to increase love of literacy in your kids Continue reading
Are You Prejudiced?
Take the Harvard created “Implicit Association Test” (IAT)to see if you are prejudiced. Continue reading
Equal Rights Amendment Expiring
ERA bill and taking action to eliminate its expiration Continue reading
Gang Rape and Power
Addresses how victims of rape are blamed as if rape is an assault stemming from desire Continue reading
Dating Violence:Love is Not Abuse
Parents of dating violence victim trying to pass 2009 Bill that will create a dating violence curriculum in schools. Continue reading
Book Review: ‘The House’ by Anjuelle Floyd
Book Review of Anjuelle Floyd’s ‘The House,’ which centers on family dynamics dealing with infidelity, traumas, divorce, marriage, and forgiveness. Continue reading
Youth Sports Vs. Martial Arts
Five reasons Martial Arts are better for your kids than youth sports Continue reading
Gang Rape Victim Blamed in NYT Article
Change.org has a petition to make NYT apologize for article that blames girl for her gang rape. Continue reading
Celebrating Amy Siskind and The New Agenda
Celebrating Amy Siskind of the New Agenda, whose organization class for a new vision for the empowerment of women and young girls Continue reading
White House’s 2011 Report on Women in America
First report since 1963 shows improvement in lives of women.
Continue reading
How to Be a Good/Bad Wife
Compares the busy modern wife to the 50s expectations of the good wife Continue reading
Wonder Woman and Female Representations in Comics
Help raise money for documentary on Wonder Women and images of female heroes in Comic books Continue reading
Images of Women and Jean Kilbourne
Jean Kilbourne’s video on how women are presented in advertising Continue reading
It’s My Body, and I Won’t Shave Unless I Want To
I hate shaving. But society tells me that I am repulsive to the visual senses of humanity if my female body is strewn with naturally grown hair. I was treated with repulsion as early as twelve from a group of … Continue reading
Rape in the US Military
A class-action law-suit filed against the Pentagon this past week by military women who were raped by men they knew in their unit. Continue reading
Valentine’s Day Activism
Suggests that money spent for Valentine’s Day be used instead to support efforts of sex trafficking organizations Continue reading
Sex Trafficking: A National Problem
Sex Trafficking Info Organization produces two videos on the sex trafficking problem that plagues Oklahoma Continue reading
Unnatural Women in Anne Sexton’s ‘Her Kind’
Anne Sexton’s representations of woman and conformity in ‘Her Kind’ Continue reading
Top Ten Sexist Super Bowl Commercials
Top Ten Sexist Super Bowl Commercials Continue reading
Sexism and Teen Girls
A video produced by The New Agenda that shows how sexism on television affects young girls Continue reading
Boycotting Television, Commercials, and Cable
One woman decides to cancel Cable TV because of gratuitous images of sex, violence, gender stereotypes, and misogyny. Continue reading
Friday’s Feature: Girl W/ Pen
featuring Girl W/Pen, created by writer Deborah Siegel, PhD Continue reading
Celebrating Jennifer Newsom and Miss Representation
Celebrating Jennifer Siebel Newsom — bringing social awareness to sexism running amock with women as its targe Continue reading
Queens of Cook-Stove Thrones and Female Potential
Gilman’s admonishes young brides who seemingly become Queens of their homes, but evidently become servants of their husbands, children, and society, thus limiting their potential for greatness. Continue reading
Self-Defense for Women, Lisbeth Salander Style
How women can defend themselves against sexual attacks using the skills of Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander Continue reading
Advertising Stereotypes of Women
Youtube video that shows how Advertising represents old Stereotypes of Women as domestic Continue reading
Seven Lessons Women Can Learn from Gregory House, MD
Gregory House, MD and Lessons women can learn from him about empowerment Continue reading
Feminism and Equal Pay
This article discusses feminism and how women make less than men when employed in the same fields Continue reading
Sexism in Disney Films
How Disney Movies define boys as violent and dominant Continue reading
Beauty and Raising Girls
How the words we use to describe our girls affect their self-esteem Continue reading
How a Feminist is Born
How a girl draws on the strength and empowerment of feminism to flee violent childhood Continue reading
Seven Empowering New Year’s Resolutions for Women
Hello everyone! Happy New Year! I’ve just written an article and it was published on The New Agenda’s Blog. It stresses the need for women to look past their appearances and focus more on their intellect and physical strengths. Check … Continue reading
Promote Your Blog
Friday is all about YOU! Marinagraphy wants to host and promote you. Tell us about you, your blog, and your agenda. Have you written a book? Tell us all about it and provide a link so we can purchase it. … Continue reading
Book Review: ‘Shiva’s Arms’ by Cheryl Snell
For Wednesday’s Woman, Marinagraphy celebrates all women: we are the heartbeat, the core of all existence. And what better example to demonstrate this than with a book review about Cheryl Snell’s compelling novel Shiva’s Arms — a portrayal of women … Continue reading
Girls, Lack of Education, and Poverty
Thursday’s Gender Thoughts: A great YouTube video that provides some honest facts about how lack of education and poverty affects young women, and how the solution lies in the potential of 12-year-old girls. This is created by The Girl Effect:The … Continue reading
Rape, Power, and Adrienne Rich
Tuesday’s Teacher is Adrienne Rich via her poem “Rape,” originally published in a collection of poems titled Diving into the Wreck (1971-72). Rape Adrienne Rich There is a cop who is both prowler and father: he comes from your block, … Continue reading
God, Adoption, and Birthmarks
The first time I learned about God, I was in first grade in an elementary school in Athens, Greece. One of the fondest and most positive experiences of my childhood, I recall the day my teacher introduced us to the … Continue reading
Fred, Christmas Cash, and Child Consumerism
Thursday’s Media Thoughts: Fred and Christmas Cash With close to 14 million hits on just this one YouTube, Fred’s “Christmas Cash” has become a phenomenon. I’m not sure how I feel about this kid and all the fame he has … Continue reading
Five Ways Parents Can Instill Confidence in Their Daughters from a Young Age
Tuesday’s Teacher: Today’s teacher is Suzy Sheradon, Editor of SureBaby.com, who has been gracious enough to provide Marinagraphy with a Guest Post on how to empower our girls. Suzy has been writing about pregnancy and parenting for years. Her website … Continue reading
Ten Empowering Christmas Gifts for Girls
This post has been syndicated by BlogHer.com at http://www.blogher.com/ten-empowering-christmas-gifts-girls?wrap=topic/mommy-family&crumb=22 When shopping for my kids this year, I was amazed at the kids’ aisles of toys. It’s the same thing: boys’ toys are all about building, creating, battling, teaching assertiveness and … Continue reading
The New Agenda, Sexualization of Little Girls, and Ending Sexism
Friday’s FemFacts: Please watch this video by The New Agenda’s founder Amy Siskind. It’s a chilling clip that begins with images of little girls dancing provocatively on a live show, followed by how our political female leaders are targeted and … Continue reading
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December 10, 2010
Children as Consumers
Thursday’s Gender Thoughts: This is a fabulous video called “Consuming Kids,” the second of seven videos dedicated to showing how advertisements “consume” kids by marketing towards them and turning them into mindless consumers. The industry that markets with kids in … Continue reading
Marriage and Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Tuesday’s Teacher: Charlotte Perkins Gilman Wedded Bliss “O come and be my mate!” said the Eagle to the Hen; “I love to soar, but then I want my mate to rest Forever in the nest!” Said the Hen, “I cannot … Continue reading
Santa Doesn’t Live Here Anymore: How Santa’s Wish List Teaches Consumerism
This post has been syndicated by BlogHer: http://www.blogher.com/santa-doesnt-live-here-anymore-how-santas-wish-list-teaches-consumerism It’s that time, again. Christmas time. It’s the time of the year when other parents and kids start introducing my children to the proverbial Santa’s gift list. Of course, my kids don’t know … Continue reading
Women and PhD’s in Science and Engineering
Friday’s FemFacts: The number of women earning PhD’s in Science and Engineering is rising — slowly — but at least it’s rising. According to a survey conducted by the National Science Foundation in November 2009, The number of female S&E … Continue reading
Gender, Toys, and Messages They Send
Thursday’s Gender Thoughts: Another great post by Anita Sarkesian from Feminist Frequency, who creates video blogs on gender as it is presented in the media. She does an amazing job comparing toys for boys and girls and listing for each … Continue reading
Toys, Gender, and Sexism
Tuesday’s Teacher: Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal — Source of this cartoon This is just an advertisement, you say. It doesn’t mean anything. I have complete control over my children’s self-esteem, and my daughters are just as independent as my sons, … Continue reading
The Disney Princess Fallacy
Disney’s Princesses are not empowering our little girls, but teaching them to wait until a man comes along before they discover themselves through their own adventures Continue reading
Love and Savagery with Margaret Atwood
Tuesday’s Teaching Memo: You Fit Into Me by Margaret Atwood You fit into me like a hook into an eye a fish hook an open eye In this short poem, Atwood addresses the brutal savagery of love, sex, and relationships. … Continue reading
Sex Appeal Vs. Intelligence
The images of women that surround me in movies, TV shows, literature, and even those that I know, that breathe and sneeze beside me, predominate and astound me, reminding me that we still have a long way to go. The … Continue reading
6 Writers Who Saved My Life at BlogHer
Recently, I posted an essay on “6 Writers Who Saved My Life,” and it has been syndicated by BlogHer. Please go to http://www.blogher.com/6-writers-who-saved-my-life to read and comment on it. Thank you! Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Marina DelVecchioDid you like this? Share it:
Feminist Stats on Rape
Friday’s Feminist Fact: 17.6 % of women in the United States have survived a completed or attempted rape. Of these, 21.6% were younger than age 12 when they were first raped, and 32.4% were between the ages of 12 and … Continue reading
Women, Power, and Feminism
Thursday’s Gender, Sexism, and the Media: Kendra Urdang’s Slam Poetry on Men Who Don’t Call themselves Feminists In this YouTube video, Kendra Urdang addresses the men that don’t call themselves feminists; the men that don’t speak up for women when … Continue reading
6 Writers Who Saved My Life
During a job interview a few years back, the Chair of the English department asked, Why English? I didn’t have to think of the answer. Literature saved my childhood. It filled my loneliness and the many silences I tolerated as a … Continue reading
Equal Rights Amendment
Friday’s Feminist Facts: Feminist Dolls sound clip Feminist sound clips Feminists still hope to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would guarantee protection under the law. The ERA has been before every session of the U.S. Congress since 1982 … Continue reading
Media and Sexism
Thursday is Media and Sexism Day: I found the following YouTube clip by Anita Sarkeesian that deconstructs a few sexist commercials called “Retro Sexism and Uber Ironic Advertising.” It is a very educational and enlightening clip that shows you some … Continue reading
Tyler Perry’s ‘For Colored Girls’: A Voice for Black Women
Wednesday’s Woman: Celebrating Tyler Perry Every Wednesday, I like to find a woman to celebrate; a woman who has accomplished great feats in life, and of whom society has lost sight. Tyler Perry is no woman, but since he has … Continue reading
Sticks, Stones, and Blogger’s Broken Bones
In Blogging, we receive some nasty remarks Continue reading
Dealing with School Bullies
Dealing with Bullies by Marina DelVecchio I was just talking with my son’s friend, a nine-year-old little girl, and she was telling me about this boy in her class that not only bullies them, but also hurts them physically. A few … Continue reading
Gender Stereotypes in the Media
Gender Stereotypes in the Media: This video is a satire from BBC’s comedy series called “That Mitchell and Webb Look.” As funny as it is, it exemplifies the way women are told on a daily basis that there is something … Continue reading
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and The Declaration of Sentiments
Celebrating Wednesday’s Woman: Elizabeth Cady Stanton Each semester I teach Elizabeth Cady Stanton‘s “The Declaration of Sentiments” along with Thomas Jefferson’s “The Declaration of Independence,” and I ask my students how effective it was for a woman to take a … Continue reading
Maya Angelou and Phenomenal Women
Tuesday Teaching Memo: Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Click on this link to hear Angelou recite the poem herself: http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/org.wgbh.mla:MLA001039 Pretty women wonder where my secret lies I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I … Continue reading
GQ, Glee and Sexism
Main Monday Musing:Since GQ published its cover spread on the three main Glee actors/singers, public reaction has lashed out in torrents, but not for the right reasons. I’ve been reading a few of the articles and they all read the … Continue reading
Funny Fat Men and Their Hot Wives
Gender in the Media on Thursday: Ever notice those comedy shows on TV? You know the ones. There’s a funny guy, a comedian, a guy’s guy. And he’s so funny that they give him his own show. But…he’s not much … Continue reading
Celebrate a Woman: Penny Tweedy Chenery
A review of Secretariat’s Penny Tweedy Chenery, a devoted mother and wife who saves her father’s farm and horses without anyone’s aid. Continue reading
Female Potential and Marge Piercy
Tuesday Teaching Memo: “A Work of Artifice” by Marge Piercy A Work of Artifice The bonsai tree in the attractive pot could have grown eighty feet tall on the side of a mountain till split by lightning. But a gardener carefully … Continue reading
It’s All About You Friday:
Marinagraphy wants to host and promote you. Tell us about you, your blog, and your agenda. It’s all about you today, so share your links, your thoughts, your giveaways, and your objectives in writing. And as I always tell my … Continue reading
Norma Hotaling:Sex-Trafficking Advocate
Wednesday is Celebrate a Woman Day on Marinagraphy: Today, I would like to introduce the Founder of the SAGE Project (Standing Against Global Exploitation), Norma Hotaling. A former homeless and sexually expoited woman, the late Norma Hotaling spent twenty-five years … Continue reading
Final Clubs and Sexism in “The Social Network”
Last week I wrote a piece about Mark Zuckerberg’s motives in creating Facebook called Facebook: A Love Story. Aside from the fact that “The Social Network” depicted a touching story of a young man who lacked the necessary skills for … Continue reading
Facebook: A Love Story
How Mark Zuckerburg’s ‘The Social Network’ movie is inspired by a love story Continue reading
Padded Bras and Breast Obsessions
How women use breasts for sexual identity when once they were centered on power and survival. Continue reading
Women, Bellies, and Muffin Tops
Endure a long, hard look at the teenaged girls who bare their midriff or wear tight t-shirts that accentuate the rounded bellies of their youth. Pay attention to the ones that aren’t anorexic looking; you know the ones I mean. They’re slightly plump, their … Continue reading
Girls: Victims with Price Tags
I am surrounded by images of girls and women being raped, beaten, abused, sold, and purchased. These images are in the daily news, in the movies, in books, and in my memories. As much as I try to push these … Continue reading
Between Healing and Dealing
How do you know when you are healed? I’m wounded, fractured, and fragmented, and I have put all the pieces of my self together and congealed them in the same way that the Doctor molded a cast to heal … Continue reading
Medea, My Inner Poet
My inner poet is a raven-haired Medea, her smoldering eyes flashing with vengeance and rage; She is a fury, a Goddess, a siren whose rousing song seduces men and ships and souls and renders them speechless, sightless, thought-less, beckoning them … Continue reading
Immigration:Gain or Loss?
I recently taught the work of Bharati Mukherjee, an immigrant from India who writes that many immigrants seeking refuge upon American soil describe their arrival as experiencing a loss. They feel that in coming here they have abandoned their family, … Continue reading
Literary Agents and One-Night-Stands
Waiting for a literary agent to call you after he has requested your entire manuscript is like waiting for a one-night-stand to call you the day after he has ravaged your body, drenched in the sweat of your passion, your … Continue reading
Girls with Pepper Spray, Tattoos, and Piercings
A character analysis of Stieg Larrson’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” which introduces women to a slight yet powerful young girl who fights back. Continue reading
Fatherhood in ‘Inception’ and ‘Shutter Island’
The role of fatherhood in recent movies like ‘Inception’ and ‘Shutter Island’ demonstrate a new kind of father who sacrifices everything for his children. Continue reading
Substandard Mothers:A Defense
Recently, I was just told that women who place their children in the gym’s nursery for two hours so that they can work out are “substandard” mothers. Needless to say, I lashed out at the person with the venom and … Continue reading
Bums in Gazebos: A Marriage Proposal
It was a Sunday morning in September of 1998. Joe’s sister called and asked me to pick her up by the Garden City Hotel in Long Island, New York, because she had gotten a flat tire. I got dressed, collected my keys, … Continue reading
America, The Beautiful
I was eight years old when I moved from Greece to America. I don’t recall being afraid during the ten-hour plane ride from the city of my birth to the city where my adoption would be finalized. I don’t remember much … Continue reading
Hooters, Boobs, and Bimbos
The Soup did a spoof on this recruitment advertisement this past weekend, and when I told my husband about it, he assumed it was a joke. “Everyone knows what Hooters is all about, Marina,” he said to me. But this … Continue reading
Fathers, Children, and Choices
I didn’t grow up with a father, so Father’s Day came and went without notice. Once in a while I would tell my mother, “Happy Father’s day, mom,” with a sheepish grin on my face, because she was mother and … Continue reading
Facebook Friends
Never one for social networks, or any kind of networks, I joined Facebook only a few years ago when I moved out of New York with my husband and children. I joined with reservations, at the request of one of … Continue reading
Freud and My Penis Envy
A woman considers the fact that she has penis envy because men have it easier Continue reading
Rape, the Military, and the REAL War Against Women
Here’s how the real war against women plays out in the military, which is evidently yet another patriarchal institution that victimizes and silences women while it protects violent perpetrators. Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013 Marina DelVecchio Did you like this? Share it:
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April 17, 2013
