Challenging the sexualisation of girls

Recently I was invited to contribute to an anthology, edited by Melinda Tankard Reist, titled ‘Getting Real: Challenging the sexualisation of girls’ (Spinifex Press). This extremely important publication documents and explores the harms done to girls by a culture that tells them that being thin, hot and sexy is the most important thing they have [...]

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Aren’t kids good enough as they are?

Two years ago (to the day!) this piece was published here on MercatorNet.

When the school photographer offers to touch up your child’s picture she could always say, ‘No thanks’.

Last summer, we spent a warm evening with friends. Over dinner, we discussed advertising, branding and materialism, and how it affected our children’s self-esteem and body image. Our friends’ 11-year-old daughter Charlie was listening. She was all too familiar with these concepts.

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A day’s a long time in social media (w/apologies to Harold Wilson)

Wasn’t it fascinating to watch the unfolding of a collective Twitter shout today? Around nine this morning, blogger and commentator @miafreedman tweeted this outraged missive: ‘Cotton On – how dare you. I will not be setting foot in any of your stores http://bit.ly/113gld #cottononaresick’. Her blog post told the story of one reader’s experience with [...]

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