Females in Family Movies … So Little has Changed?

For women who came of age in the 70s and 80s, we recognize that there are a wide number of changes in the world that make things easier for today’s young women than it was for us.  There is much to be proud of, which is why I found this Newsweek article on media focus to be so startling.

While I, like the auther, congratulated our generation that animated princesses had become more ethnically diverse and self-defense aware, apparently those are among just very few changes in the number and role of females in the movies.  This is particularly true of the family movies that are shaping the minds of little girls and boys today.  Read The Shame of Family Films by Julia Baird.  It’s worth a few minutes of your thought.

Taking a Look at What Real Fears Should Be

I found an extraordinary Back Story article in Newsweek May 24 & 31, 2010.  I might be the only one who thinks so, though, because Newsweek did not even print the full article in their online publication.  You can see it here, but only if you sign up for a free trial.

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What Should You REALLY Be Afraid Of?
Byline: Number 17, NYC, Claudia Kalb, and Elizabeth White

Fear, as FDR noted in 1933, paralyzes those who succumb to it. And yet much of what we worry about today is based on hype rather than reality. Yes, media headlines are partially to blame. But some things (sharks!) are just downright scary. Using the most recent U.S. data available, we hereby present a list of unsettling threats and their far riskier counterparts.

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I’ve included a pdf of the numbers.  Seriously, it is an interesting comparison and worth your few minutes to click through.