Dr. Rebecca Hains
Author, professor and speaker | Children's media culture, media literacy, and media criticism
Category: society
What if Woody Wore Pink?
What would you think of Woody from Toy Story if he wore pink? Would you think the color choice was incongruous—that it didn’t seem masculine enough for a 1950s-era cowboy toy? Well, you’d be wrong, as these images from the 1955 Sears Christmas Book catalog attest.
Read MoreModern Beauty Standards Imposed on Classic Art Show Narrowness of Today’s Ideal
Many of today’s teenagers believe the Venus de Milo is “fat,” so I digitally retouched a photo of the famous statue to explore the issue.
Read MoreWATCH: Rebecca Hains discusses Lululemon body-shaming controversy on TV News
Yesterday, I discussed the Lululemon controversy (and the petition that Marci Warhaft-Nadler and I launched) with both FOX 25 Boston and WBZ-TV (CBS) Boston. Have a look! FOX 25 Boston: Salem State Professor to Lululemon CEO: Change Your Business Practices (4 minutes)…
Read MoreUnbelievable: Lululemon founder thinks career women bring cancer on themselves.
According to Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, when his $100 yoga pants wear out more quickly than his cheaper competitors’ pants do, it’s women’s fault. If only women were more like stick figures! Then our thighs wouldn’t be so destructive. This…
Read MoreSchool suspends teen boy for carrying purse. Why???
For several weeks, an eighth-grade boy outside of Kansas City has been expressing his individuality by carrying a floral-print Vera Bradley purse. But yesterday, his assistant principal demanded he remove it. The boy refused, and he was immediately suspended from…
Read More“Am I Pretty or Ugly” Videos a Symptom of Toxic Media Culture
In recent years, young girls have been posting videos of themselves to YouTube, asking one question: “Am I pretty or ugly?” Over 500,000 of these videos are online, and they’re heart-wrenching to watch. In addition to being incredibly sad, these…
Read MoreSexy Halloween Costumes Reveal the Truth about Girls’ Toys
Do you object to sexy Halloween costumes for little girls? When you compare the “Little Leopard” costume for young girls to the adult “Sexy Leopard” costumes, do you cringe? When you see children’s classic Disney Princess costumes placed literally steps…
Read MoreA response to Mrs. Hall: Teaching our boys respect and self-control
“FYI (if you’re a teenage girl)“* came up in my facebook news feed a lot yesterday. It’s being shared with such enthusiasm that I was eager to read it. I hoped its advice for teenage girls about their facebook activities…
Read MoreStride Rite’s gendered marketing persists. But why, and what can we do about it?
Last April, I posted about how Stride Rite positions girls as pretty and boys as active. After seeing their in-store advertisements and reviewing their product descriptions online, I concluded that according to Stride Rite, girls are meant to be looked…
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Dr. Rebecca Hains 
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