Dr. Rebecca Hains
Author, professor and speaker | Children's media culture, media literacy, and media criticism
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This is rape culture.
Here’s a thread from my latest blog post that exemplifies what rape culture looks like. It begins when a commenter asserts that girls who are “physically adult” can consent to sex. This seems reasonable enough when applied to the girls…
Read MoreTarget will stop labeling toys for boys or girls. Good.
Yes, your daughter can play with blocks, and your son can play with dolls.
Read More“Slap her”: Fanpage.it video objectifies girls, exploits boys, and trivializes domestic violence
Fanpage.it’s video has been tugging at people’s heartstrings, but upon closer examination, the message isn’t so charming after all. Let’s take a closer look.
Read MoreLISTEN: Rebecca Hains discusses #TruthInAds & body image on CBC Radio
The Brave Girls Alliance wants advertisers to stop extensively Photoshopping models’ bodies. The practice contributes to a public health crisis encompassing serious emotional, mental and physical health issues.
Read MoreBlack girls are missing, in Nigeria and at home. #BringBackOurGirls
Two weeks ago, a Nigerian high school was raided by armed militants from the terrifying Islamist group Boko Haram. These terrorists kidnapped more than 200 Nigerian girls—allegedly to sell them as brides for about $12 USD each. It’s a devastating case of human trafficking,…
Read MoreCan girls be doctors? Preschool art project says “no.” (Reader story)
Why are we still teaching our children that DOCTOR = MALE in 2014? There’s no good reason. A guest post by reader Julie Danahy Hebeisen My friend Julie is a non-profit event planner in the Boston area and a married first-time mother to…
Read MoreReview: “Prison Baby” by Deborah Jiang Stein
In a system that treats drug addicts as criminals—that incarcerates people struggling with addiction, instead of recognizing addiction as a complex disease and providing treatment— injustice piles upon injustice. The war on drugs has destroyed families, tearing parents and children…
Read More“Is my son smart?” “Is my daughter skinny?” Google Searches Reveal Parents’ Gender Biases
According to a recent New York Times op-ed, “Google, Tell Me, Is My Son a Genius?”, parents’ Google search trends teach us a lot about parents’ biases towards their sons and daughters. Specifically, parents tend to search the internet for…
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