Rosalind Wiseman's Blog, page 59
October 29, 2009
Not-So-Innocent Bystanders
After an incident like the gruesome, frightening assault of a 15-year-old at Richmond High School in Richmond, CA on Saturday, we usually have a moment of wondering how a group of people could watch such a terrible thing happen to someone and not do anything about it.
But our reasonably horrible reaction is mostly a fleeting one—we think about it for the moment it comes up on the news, then tell ourselves the things that one usually thinks to rationalize fear or outrage over an extreme...
"I'm Not a Prude, But…": Why We Can't Let Ourselves Become Culture Sheep
How many times have you heard that preface to a conversation about pop culture lately? Tweens? Teens?
Okay, I promised NOT to do a Halloween Horrors bit on girls' costumes and tramp vamp cues (been there, done that) BUT the irony in the timing of this post from Australia titled, "Musical Tarts are Infecting Our Children" that referenced us here at Shaping Youth about the influence of the lyrics and antics of Ms. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga) was too ripe not to riff...
October 27, 2009
I'm So Jealous of My Girlfriend!
Rosalind answers a question from a guy who is extremely jealous of his girlfriend when she spends time with other guys. Are his fears that she might betray him reasonable, or is this a symptom of an unhealthy relationship?
October 26, 2009
Why You Need to See 'Whip It': Real Girl Movie of the Year
Here's the deal. Whip It, the new Drew Barrymore/Ellen Page film, is tanking at the box office. We have to go see it. If we don't, the money's going to dry up for girl-power films.
Not that you won't enjoy every minute. Whip It is the Real Girl movie of the year. Its motto: Be your own hero.
The plot: Bliss Cavendar (Page) is a 17 year old reluctant beauty pageant contestant, nudged along by her Good Girl mother (played by the terrific Marcia Gay Harden). Mom is a former beauty queen herself...
October 21, 2009
Jezebel Asked, I Answered: Women vs. Women in the Workplace
I was recently interviewed by the very funny Doree Shafrir for the smart, edgy women's lifestyle website Jezebel about the updated edition of Queen Bees & Wannabes. Readers submitted a lot of fantastic questions about women's interactions as the grow older, particularly in the work place. I love talking about this stuff because no matter how much we as adults would like to think we've grown up, we're constantly faced with situations that make us feel like we're back in middle school. In the v...
Rosalind's Interview on CBS News' @katiecouric
Last week I sat down with CBS' Katie Couric on her web show @katiecouric to discuss the new edition of Queen Bees & Wannabes and how much our world has changed via technology that did not exist when I first wrote the book. Katie is one of my favorite journalists because she never accepts an answer at face value–she continues to push until you've really explored the subject from all angles. This was the longest format interview we've done, and it's refreshing to get to say entire thoughts...
October 20, 2009
The Sketchy Guy
Rosalind answers a question from a 15-year-old girl who is interested in dating a guy who is notorious for being very physical with girls. Aside from not being ready for that, she's wondering why he flirts with her but doesn't break up with his current girlfriend. Should she pursue him?
October 15, 2009
Panel Calls for Enhanced Education to Combat Cyberbullying
Industry leaders in law enforcement, media, government, and technology advocated Tuesday at the StopCyberbullying Coalition Round Table in Washington, DC, for an education-based approach to address cyberbullying and sexting among young people.
Technology can be "dangerous tools when left without education surrounding them," said speaker Robin Raskin of the Consumer Electronics Association.
The highlight of the summit, coordinated by Internet safety group Wired Safety, came early in the...
My Crush Won't Break Up with His Boyfriend
Rosalind answers a question from Jordan, a 21-year-old gay man whose crush won't break up with his boyfriend. Should he continue to try to build a relationship with him hoping that things will change or try to date someone who'll take better care of his heart?
What About Boys? 'Packaging Boyhood' Authors Respond
This week, Shaping Youth advisors and authors of Packaging Boyhood launched their sequel book to my favorite media literacy teaching tool on the 'pink think' stereotypes front, Packaging Girlhood.
For years I've been asking the 'what about the boys' question in my work, because frankly, boys are getting just as hammered with negative cues about what 'real men' should be, as media and marketing define kids before they can define themselves.
Granted, boys haven't been reduced to being amped up...
