21 Body-Shaming Magazine Covers That Prove Women Just Can’t Win
By Jane Hollier (Reprinted with permission Jane Hollier)
Dolly commended for highlighting the life of young carers
In 147 pages of beauty and fashion shopping, advice and advertising , along with tips on catching your “crush” this summer, there are, fortunately, a few articles that will actually help girls. As you know, I always search for the personal stories which convey the reality of girls’ lives as well as inspiring resilience and […]
The impossible goal of pursuing perfection: Dolly September review
‘The ultimate guide to being yourself’ is about self-acceptance. It offers girls three lessons in how to be themselves: Fall in love with you; Quit Faking It and Get inspired, not obsessed. The first encourages girls to recognise and love themselves for their unique traits. This is well and good. But I don’t think we […]
Dolly April – Continued improvements in content, shame about the model search
I think Dolly may be improving (if only it would drop the model search!) Forty eight pages into Dolly’s April issue and I was beginning to wonder if there was anything worth commenting on. Yes there was a promotion of the Dolly model search, but I’d already gone to town on that in the last […]
When we have to airbrush flesh onto models you know we’ve got a problem: MTR in Herald Sun
WHEN fashion publishers feel they have to use photo-shop to ‘‘fatten up’’ models in a major fashion event before they can publish their images, you know there’s a problem. Usually when fashion and beauty publications employ digital enhancement it’s for the opposite reason: to slim down the model or celebrity and hide ‘‘flaws’’. But this […]
Good advice on standing against sexist stereotypes, teen marriage, budgeting and managing internet – but why so much on scoring a boyfriend?
Girl Mag Watch: Dolly January 2013 In its first edition for the year, Dolly brings readers some important content to help them launch into 2013. ‘Sexism: what’s it all about?’ examines how gender-based prejudice and discrimination is alive and well. Women continue to be paid less than men and hold a tiny proportion of board […]
Girl Mag Watch: Girlfriend – from mindfulness to masturbation
From Mindfulness to Masturbation: Girlfriend’s January issue ‘Switched on: Sorting out the small things’ provides readers with 10 things they need to know about 2013, which ranges fascinatingly from the Australian Federal Election and our troops exiting Afghanistan, to One Direction’s World Tour and actors Ryan Gosling and Robert Paterson in Australia. ‘Are you a […]
Do we repeat meaningless platitudes about beauty or honour women for their achievements? Greer at her best, read this
Reading this made my weekend. I had to share it. ‘Hands up if you’re feeling any less revolting…’ Germaine Greer in the Canberra Times, Saturday. At an event in Amsterdam recently, I was ordered by a woman on the stage to take the hand of the woman next to me, who happened to be 76-year-old […]
Dolly acknowledges inspiring young women: can we have some more please?
Inspiring young women, competitive eating, runaways, how alcohol and smoking harm girls’ skins: some helpful articles in Dolly November 2012 Two issues of Dolly in a row (last one here) about which I’ve found some positive things to say. Perhaps it’s time for Generation Next to find a new reviewer? ‘Dolly All Stars: Introducing this […]
Readers getting younger: Is Girlfriend moving in on Dolly?
12 y.o ‘Reader of the month’, 13 y.o model finalists… Girl Mag Watch October 2012 Reading the October issue (yes, I know, just scraping this review in in time) of Girlfriend, I found myself checking the front cover to make sure I’d picked up Girlfriend and not Dolly. I’m wondering if perhaps Girlfriend is moving […]
The Big O and it’s not Roy Orbison: Girlfriend mag review
For women my generation who see a massive magazine heading “The Big O” and think it’s about Roy Orbison, you probably won’t want to read further. The “Big O” in this case refers to orgasm – in fact “your giggle-free guide to orgasms.” Although if your daughter is a 13-year-old reader of Girlfriend (GF has […]
Vogue’s body image pact: grandstanding or evolution?
Ambiguous declaration raises more questions Jane Hollier After years of being slammed with accusations that they are projecting unrealistic body image ideals onto women, Vogue magazine has finally decided to do something about it. The 19 editors of the magazines around the globe have collectively made a pact that has the fashion industry giving them […]