Posted in Body Image, Power of Words, Resources on Jul 31st, 2008 14 Comments »
Books Alive is an Australian Government initiative developed through the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body. Its aim? To encourage Australians to pick up a book and read.
As an ex-English teacher and avid reader, I love books. They feed me - intellectually and emotionally. I was delighted to [...]
Posted in Body Image, Bullying, Eating Disorders, Enlighten Education, Media, Schools on Jul 24th, 2008 4 Comments »
I am really enjoying sharing some guest posts written by various members of my amazing Enlighten team with you all! A warm “Butterfly Effect” welcome to New Zealand’s Program Manager Kelly Valder…
Guest post by Kelly Valder - newzealand@enlighteneducation.com
“Barbie Bitches” - what a term huh? For many it brings to mind platinum blonde hair extensions and lots [...]
Posted in Body Image, Feminism, Power of Words, Resources, Underage Drinking on Jun 14th, 2008 13 Comments »
I have lifted this idea straight from Oprah’s magazine, April 2006 edition.
If you could write a note of advice to your teen girl self, knowing all that you know now, what would you say to her? I love this exercise as it encourages reflection, empathy with the plight of our young women and affirms the wisdom and strength [...]
Posted in Body Image, Bullying, Cyber world / Bullying, Friendship, Magazines, Media, Parents, Plastic Surgery, Schools, Underage Drinking on Apr 29th, 2008 6 Comments »
AND the importance of moving beyond finger pointing.
Queensland school girls have formed an exclusive club, known as Club 21, which encourages members to be ranked between 1 and 21 based on their thinness, good looks, binge drinking escapades and popularity with boys. This number is then drawn on their hand for all to see.
The club [...]
Posted in Body Image, Eating Disorders, Sport on Apr 11th, 2008 3 Comments »
Back in 2006 we had the Senate Enquiry into female participation in sport. The enquiry concluded, amongst other things, that female sportswear might be a deterrent to participation.
The Daily Telegraph offered the following interviews with key participants:
ACT senator Kate Lundy, deputy chairwoman of the Senate committee that produced the report, said sports should do a survey of [...]
Posted in Body Image, Enlighten Education, Parents, Resources, Schools, Transition to High School on Apr 3rd, 2008 2 Comments »
A number of innovative schools and gifted, intuitive psychologists have crossed my path of late - all seeking out ways in which they can best assist the girls they care for to develop a positive body image and respond intelligently to our toxic “girl hating” culture.
Firstly, I have thoroughly enjoyed Professor Martha Straus’ seminal work “Adolescent Girls [...]
Posted in Body Image, Feminism, Power of Words, Sexualisation of children on Mar 22nd, 2008 17 Comments »
What is the soundtrack to your life? What music surrounded you in your most formative teen years? What song was playing when you first kissed, when you danced at your school formal, or when you broke loose and did a hairbrush solo in your bedroom?
As a child of the eighties Madonna rocked my world and [...]
Posted in Advertising, Body Image, Magazines, Sexualisation of children on Mar 1st, 2008 3 Comments »
The letter below was forwarded to me by Julie Gale, founder of Kids Free 2B Kids and a very passionate, active defender of childhood. I was so impressed I asked her permission to share it with you. Keep in mind, Girlfriend is a magazine thats core readership is girls aged between 13 and 14 years.
To: The Editor [...]
Posted in Body Image, Media, Plastic Surgery, Women and Film on Feb 22nd, 2008 7 Comments »
Yes Keira, your lips are totally real.
Last month, I watched Pride and Prejudice on DVD. I can’t tell you much about it because I was madly distracted by Keira Knightley’s top lip. Huge. Like someone had cut a Floaty in half and glued it to her face. I couldn’t remember noticing that Floaty lip before [...]
Posted in Beauty Industry, Body Image, Eating Disorders, Fashion Industry on Jan 29th, 2008 3 Comments »
Stylist to the stars Patricia Field (she of Sex in the City fame) has an oh so cool web site promoting must have items for budding fashionistas. One item, the Trash and Luxury Celebrity Diet shirt is described as:
Another amazing celeb inspired tee. The celebrity diet, and our diet. Complete with a balanced cigarette, and some [...]
At Enlighten Education we recognize that when it comes to the impact we as individuals have on our environment, small changes can make a huge difference.
Join us in a new, powerful conversation on body image, self esteem and outcomes for girls.
Who knows what impact these conversations may have!
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"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." Maya Angelou
