National Arab American Heritage Month
What is National Arab American Heritage Month? (credit to our recent MEDIAGIRLS post on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter) This month is National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM), and we at MEDIAGIRLS would like to take the time to acknowledge the significance of this month-long observance. Most essentially, we would like to see how it is […]
Turning Red
If you haven’t seen the film yet, Pixar’s Turning Red is receiving substantial recognition across all forms of media. Turning Red tells the story of 13-year old Meilin “Mei” Lee and her experiences with “puberty, cultural expectations, and her newfound tendency to turn into a giant red panda when overtaken by emotion” (NYTimes). Taking MEDIAGIRLS’ […]
Women’s History Month
What is Women’s History Month? It’s March, so let’s not forget about Women’s History Month! Before we dive into how you can engage in the celebration of this month on social media, I’ll provide a brief background on what women’s history month is and why it’s important not only for our MEDIAGIRLS community but as […]
#BlackJoy
As we begin the month of March and mark the end of Black History Month, I’d like to commemorate its meaning with an inspirational and impactful form of resistance. Motivated by and credited to a MEDIAGIRLS Instagram post made this past week (@mediagirls), which refers to which Black TikTokers you should follow, and credited to […]
Black History Month & The Youth Movement
In light of Black History Month, we at MEDIAGIRLS would like to commemorate a special individual that shares the same goals as our organization and girls+ community. One dominant historical figure, Martin Luther King Jr., enters the minds of many when reflecting on this month and its meaning. Although Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday and […]
#carefreeblackgirls
If you haven’t heard of #carefreeblackgirls before, don’t fret. The hashtag has reappeared even stronger in Zeba Blay’s new book, an essay collection, Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture. Originally coined by Blay on Twitter in 2013, the hashtag reminds its audience of the power and strength of black girlhood […]
Five Incredible Follows for this Indigenous People’s Day
Fast approaching is one of America’s most complicated and controversial federal holidays: Columbus Day. Commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, the modern world essentially begins here. However, we as a culture tend to overlook the bloodshed that shaped the colonial exchange and ultimately led to the founding of the United States. In […]
Are You and Your Girl(s) Celebrating the Tiny Wins?
A mentoring strategy to help boost resilience long past quarantine Like a lot of teen girls–and perhaps most of the human population right now–my daughter hit a quarantine roadblock this week. “I was doing pretty well with a daily schedule and making healthy food choices and stuff,” she told me. “But now, I’m staying up […]
How Girls Can Shield Themselves from Stressful Friend Updates
The Dilemma: Let’s say your girl is FaceTiming her friend Jamie, and out of nowhere Jamie starts talking about how she is going to go crazy if she has to keep staying home and is worried this pandemic will never end. Perhaps, Jamie adds: “What if we’re stuck in our homes forever and this is […]
“Social Distancing” is the Wrong Phrase
[This post was written by Michelle Cove, founder and Executive Director of MEDIAGIRLS and reflects her opinions.] It’s an unsettling time, obviously. In addition to the actual virus, we are struggling to figure out how to adapt to many complicated situations in real-time. At MEDIAGIRLS, like a whole lot of places, we had to shut […]
Positive Media Content Your Girl(s) Should Know About!
One of the many concerns for parents and educators right now is that we don’t know what media content our kids are absorbing while they’re scrolling. Is it healthy? Is it harmful, possibly scary? Where can girls even go right now to find content that will inspire and uplift them? Together, a group of nonprofits […]
Think You Have No Time to Feel? Think Again.
by Michelle Cove, founder and Executive Director of MEDIAGIRLS Most of us are making decisions at rapid-fire pace without knowing what life will look like in a month, a week, or, let’s face it, tomorrow. Of course, the reality is that we never know what’s coming; we just like to think we do. Now, the […]
The MEDIAGIRLS Podcast is Live!
“Why does my daughter have six different Instagram accounts?” “What do I tell my niece when she says she was asked to send a boy a ‘nude?’” “I can’t tell if Lizzo’s music video is empowering or demeaning for girls. Which is it?” These are just a few of the questions MEDIAGIRLS staff are asked […]
MEDIAGIRLS Weigh In on the New Year’s Scale Obsession
“This is the year I’m going to drop 10 pounds!” How many times and for how many decades have we heard girls and women of all ages tie their New Year’s resolution to weight loss? The pressure to become a ‘whole new you’ too often means starting a diet, joining a gym, and ultimately weight […]
Media that Spreads the Shine on Girls!
This winter, we’re all about #SpreadtheShine, a hashtag we started to bring some light and love into these long, cold months! Here’s the deal: we’ve noticed that whenever we watch our favorite shows and movies, read or favorite books, or scroll through social media, a common theme tends to come up. Women are often pitted […]
Meet Laureen Chalumeau, Founder of @usdarksins
Here at MEDIAGIRLS we’ve been cheering on Laureen Chalumeau, founder of @usdarkskins, since we first heard about her Instagram feed in 2016. We coined the name #realmediagirl for girls who use their social media to speak up for what they believe in, be authentic, and lift up other girls. Laureen is the ultimate #realmediagirl, and […]
Will You Spread the Shine this Holiday Season?
S/O to activists Greta Thunberg, Mari Copeny, and Emma Gonzales for using social media to fight for positive world change! S/O to actress Jameela Jamil for using social media to push back against impossible beauty standards! S/O to YouTuber Lilly Singh for using social media to motivate and encourage women! Okay, media, we’ve had more […]
Why You Are Mentor Material…Even if You Question It
“I wish I had a mentor in my life,” is a common refrain from women of all ages. Many of us long for an angelic powerhouse who will take us under her wing and guide us through all of life’s tough situations. And, hey, some women are lucky enough to get this. Most of us, […]
“Can We Please Talk about Something Other than Boys?!”: One 20-something’s take on why we need to challenge guy-talk obsession.
I could not help but grapple with the question of “Now what?” after yet another heart-wrenching breakup. I was haunted by the usual questions: “Will I end up alone with dogs?” (Cats are not for me.) “Is it bad to watch the movie The Notebook again?” and “Can I really eat anymore Thai takeout?” Fast […]
Results Are In: Find out Which Celebrity YOU Named the 2019 #REALMEDIAGIRL Winner!
At MEDIAGIRLS, we’re all about using social media for good, in ways that make girls feel positive and strong. We define a #REALMEDIAGIRL as one who uses her social media to be authentic, speak up for what she believes in, and lift up other girls and women. More and more we’re seeing celebrities start to […]
5 Questions to Ask Girls about “Captain Marvel”
In first seeing the trailer for “Captain Marvel,” we were thrilled to hear of another powerful female lead in the male-dominated space of superhero movies! Yes, “Wonder Woman” was inspiring but the world can surely handle more than one female superhero. Out of Marvel’s 21 superhero movies, Captain Marvel is the first one with a […]
MEDIAGIRLS: Get Strong Fundraiser
The media has made girls and women question their appearance and physical strength, insisting relentlessly that we should all be thinner and “hotter.” Many are now pushing back, saying that “strong” is the new “beautiful,” and MEDIAGIRLS is among them. That’s why we’re bringing girls and women of all ages (as well as dads and […]
MEDIAGIRLS reveal their 14 top media sheroes in honor of Galentine’s Day!
“Ladies celebrating ladies.” That’s how lead character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) on “Parks and Rec” explained Galentines Day, declaring it “only the best day of the year.” The day may have been fictional when Leslie first said it in 2010. Today, it’s a very real holiday for many of us, celebrated each February […]
Who gives you an #Attitude4Gratitude?
Here at MEDIAGIRLS we are determined to make social media a more positive and empowering space for girls and young women. We need it and we deserve it! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this month’s mission is all about gratitude. We asked our youth advisory board to create a post with #Attitude4Gratitude, giving a shout-out […]
Girl-power shows we’re excited to watch this fall
By Clare Reynders, MEDIAGIRLS Editorial Volunteer Nowadays, with Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and so many cable shows, it’s almost impossible to keep up with the viewing options, much less choose them. Luckily, MEDIAGIRLS is here to help. We’ve sorted through the new season’s shows on TV and streaming platforms to find the best, most empowering […]