Brave Girls Want: A Movement, Not A Moment.

[ismnotwasm]

Sept. 9, 2013 Today marks the triumph of a grassroots groundswell over colossal corporate branding, with the tipping point to “take back the media” coming from individuals, en masse!

Tomorrow, the Brave Girls Invade Times Square campaign will be featured as the IndieGoGo crowdfunding platform’s ‘campaign of the day’ as it’ is now officially fully funded and in forward motion!

Congratulations especially to brave and maverick co-founders Melissa Wardy of Pigtail Pals and Ballcap Buddies and Inês Almeida of Toward the Stars, along with the entire team, as we get ready to showcase the mighty voices of many small entities in a collective rebel yell for corporate social responsibility. Admittedly, as a creative director I was both baffled and a bit peeved that large sponsors and bigwig organizations didn’t ‘latch on’ to the Brave Girls Want mission as a smart, cost effective ‘media buy,’ but in retrospect, that’s made this effort all the more authentic and worthwhile.

After all, it’s easy to toss a truckload of money into an overnight branding sensation which is often not much more than a media-created hypefest, rather than focus on those doing the work in the trenches advocating for kids day in and day out, minus the fabricated PR press puffery.

This is thankfully the ‘real deal,’ with indie voices spanning the globe to put public health over profiteering on the backs of children, and none other than Brenda Chapman co-director of Brave supporting the effort as our biggest sponsor.

http://www.shapingyouth.org/brave-girls-want-a-movement-not-a-moment/

[redqueen]

1. This is

fucking awesome.

Then again I was super excited and expected a massive rolling tide of change after I saw Miss Representation, but still with the ignorance about objectification. So...

Anyway ... onward!

“If your position is everywhere, your momentum is zero.“

The Brave Girls Invade Times Square billboard is just the first position, and wow, that momentum is a force field FAR from zero…

It’s goosebumps inducing, spine-tingling, “it’s about freakin’ time” style excitement…First stop Times Square October 11, 2013, then onward for more global good!

Join us won’t you? And this time, bring a sponsor or two. We could use a helping hand.

48 hours left

Funded, but focused on next steps, still time to join in the fun!

Campaign closes Sept. 11, 2013, 11:59PT

Times Square Debut: Oct. 11, 2013

[ismnotwasm]

2. I'm going to link to this report

It's embedded in the article, but it could use a little love I think

Journalists, child advocacy organizations, parents and psychologists have argued that the sexualization of girls is a broad and increasing problem and is harmful to girls.The APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls was formed in response to these expressions of public concern.

APA has long been involved in issues related to the impact of media content on children. In 1994, APA adopted a policy resolution on Violence in Mass Media, which updated and expanded an earlier resolution on televised violence. In 2004, the APA Task Force on Advertising and Children produced a report examining broad issues related to advertising to children. That report provided recommendations to restrict advertising that is primarily directed at young children and to include developmentally appropriate disclaimers in advertising, as well as recommendations regarding research, applied psychology, industry practices, media literacy, advertising and schools. In 2005, APA adopted the policy resolution on *Violence in Video Games and Interactive Media (PDF, 89KB), which documented the negative impact of exposure to violent interactive media on children and youth and called for the reduction of violence in these media. These resolutions and reports addressed how violent media and advertising affect children and youth, but they did not address sexualization. The APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls was tasked with examining the psychological theory, research and clinical experience addressing the sexualization of girls via media and other cultural messages, including the prevalence of these messages and their impact on girls and the role and impact of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.The task force was charged with producing a report, including recommendations for research, practice, education and training, policy and public awareness.

This report examines and summarizes psychological theory, research and clinical experience addressing the sexualization of girls.The report (a) defines sexualization; (b) examines the prevalence and provides examples of sexualization in society and in cultural institutions, as well as interpersonally and intrapsychically; (c) evaluates the evidence suggesting that sexualization has negative consequences for girls and for the rest of society; and (d) describes positive alternatives that may help counteract the the influence of sexualization.
There are several components to sexualization, and these set it apart from healthy sexuality. Sexualization occurs when

a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; a person is sexually objectified — that is, made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making; and/or sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person.
All four conditions need not be present; any one is an indication of sexualization. The fourth condition (the inappropriate imposition of sexuality) is especially relevant to children. Anyone (girls, boys, men, women) can be sexualized. But when children are imbued with adult sexuality, it is often imposed upon them rather than chosen by them. Self-motivated sexual exploration, on the other hand, is not sexualization by our definition, nor is age-appropriate exposure to information about sexuality.

http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report.aspx

[NYC_SKP]

3. More of this, please.

Recommended.

[ismnotwasm]

4. It *is* awesome isn't it?

I'm finding good use for that Facebook my daughter signed me up for (after years of resistance)

[NYC_SKP]

5. The narrator's description of a girl's world in our society was spot on.

The expectations laid and made re appearances, skin tone, body type, the happy ending, the makeup, just had me nodding the entire time.

wow!