Dr. Rebecca Hains
Author, professor and speaker | Children's media culture, media literacy, and media criticism
Category: society
Royal Baby, Royal Body Watch: Fat-shaming post-partum celebrities
Today, CNN published a photo to Facebook of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, leaving the hospital with their newborn baby boy. When it came up in my news feed, I was aghast–not at anything in the photo, but…
Read MoreCampaign for Commercial-Free Childhood fights to save Tooth Fairy from corporate makeover
For children, losing one’s baby teeth is an important rite of passage. It marks a child’s departure from early childhood and entry into middle childhood–a time when, among other milestones, a child’s belief in magic begins to recede. Because of…
Read MoreCartoonists and animation experts weigh in: the new Merida doesn’t HAVE to look this way
In the past few days, the new Merida designed for the Disney Consumer Products Division has lead to heated controversy. On the one hand, critics argue that the redesign undercuts Merida’s strength, serving her up in a more stereotypical princess…
Read MoreDisney faces backlash over new “sexy” Merida; pulls new image from web site as a result
UPDATE, May 16, 2013: Disney has stated that 1. the 2D image was never on their official web site in the first place (though, oddly, it’s all over the official Australia/NZ version of the Disney Princess site–which may have been the source of any…
Read MoreMore on teaching boys not to rape
The Christian Science Monitor picked up my post on teaching boys to understand “consent” and “respect” from an early age. Here’s the link: “Steubenville rape trial: How can I raise my boy not to rape, nor be a bystander?” by…
Read MoreNetworks: When viewers attack the women on your newscasts, let the women speak up.
A few weeks ago, meteorologist Rhonda Lee offered a passionate response via social media to a viewer’s complaint about her hair. The complaint read: “the black lady that does the news is a very nice lady.the only thing is she…
Read MoreHalloween and the rise of sexy costumes for women and girls
For years, families struck a balance between store-bought and homemade Halloween costumes. But these days, DIY Halloween costumes are out; store-bought costumes are an $2.87 billion business. What does this mean for consumers? Well, for one thing, we’re seeing a…
Read MoreBoy teeth, girl teeth, and the gendering of ungendered things
My three-year-old son had a check-up with his pediatric dentist yesterday. The dentist is a friendly fellow who is good with kids, and we like his practice a lot. Shortly after a dental hygienist cleaned my son’s teeth, the dentist approached…
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Dr. Rebecca Hains 
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