Reading Between the Lines: A Media Literacy Education in Domestic Violence

Jan. 30, 2015 For the first time ever, the NFL will air a pitch perfect, poignant PSA by No More.org against domestic violence that resonates on multiple levels and can be used as a tool to uncork important conversations even in the classroom. Scripted with powerful realism, brilliant visual execution and based on a compilation of authentic 911 calls, this amazing PSA is a … [Read more...]

Public Health: DV Grammys, Too Short Of A Memory, Sexualization

Update Feb. 12, 2016 With the 2016 Grammys coming up this weekend, I wanted to add two posts by the author of The Achilles Effect and Boys, Sex & Media as a ponderable question about what we're choosing to honor and award with media messaging and masculinity. Without vilifying an entire genre, specific artist, or lyrics lens (not interested in uncorking a censorship convo; … [Read more...]

Love Is Respect: Teen Texting Tools Aim To Dial Down Dating Abuse

Feb. 2, 2015 Update February marks the beginning of "Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month" and given the powerful PSA from "No More" on domestic violence in the Super Bowl yesterday that I wrote about extensively, I thought I'd add my own 'PSA reminder' that roots to unhealthy relationships can seed themselves early on, and diff forms of abuse definitely happen to TEENS.Please … [Read more...]

Man Down? Girl Up, Rihanna. Own Your Influence.

June 6, 2011 We interrupt our positive picks programming to hand over a pail and a scrub brush so parents can prep for the latest mop up of "young and the RECKLESS"... This week in Rihanna Redux, she's once again baiting outrage by splattering revenge fantasies around the interwebs with ambient buzz in Rihanna's new "Man Down" video about a woman who shoots and kills her … [Read more...]

Letting Go of 2010: Thoughts On Media Messaging

Jan 1, 2011 No secret I’ve been challenged in 2010 on various fronts, and I’m trying really hard to ‘let go’ of some of the frustrations knowing there’s no quick fix for some of the blindingly surreal influences and disruptive crapola eroding kids’ psyches. I'm 'letting go,' to try to see past  Nicki Minaj-style hyper-sexualized cues to instead celebrate the pendulum swing … [Read more...]