M. Gigi Durham

This is a must-read for parents and teachers of girls, and a should-read for everyone else. I've read my fair share of media criticism, especially about gender inequality and representation. What sets this one apart is that the end of each chapter has an action plan. The title of the book is true to form: each chapter dissects the media sexualization of girls, and ends with what we can do about it.

Also useful (especially to me, since I teach similar content in my Popular Culture Studies class) are the pages of resources and notes Durham includes. It is a goldmine of information.

I checked this out from the library, but I will be buying a copy of my own to mark up, develop lesson plans from, and lend out to interested readers. I haven't been this affected by a book about the pressures girls face since I read Reviving Ophelia nearly 20 years ago.… (más)

Though I was aware of a lot of what Durham writes about in the book, it was a great reminder of the importance of talking with young people very early on about the media and how it portrays women and girls. Media literacy is so important--now more than ever. As a reader who does not yet have children, it motivated me to not only go back to this when I do have children, but also to make sure to have these conversations with the young people I already have in my life.

Though most of what Durham discusses focuses on young women, I appreciated that she mentions several times that it is just as important to talk about these things with young men and boys as well. Great book for parents, educators and anyone who works with young people.… (más)