Category Archives: Media criticism

On that Dove Ad Campaign and Unruly Fat

Posted on August 22, 2005 by Ampersand

Mind the Gap is one of my favorite new feminist blogs (new to me, at least!). Check out Winter Woods’ post on the Dove Beauty Campaign: But at the risk of sounding like a humourless, spoil sport, never satisfied feminist … Continue reading →

Posted in Fat, fat and more fat, Feminism, sexism, etc, Media criticism | 41 Comments

Fat Men and Their Thin Wives in Cartoons

Posted on April 10, 2005 by Ampersand

Both The Simpsons and Family Guy feature a very fat husband married to a wife with a model-perfect body. So did The Critic. Hank Hill isn’t very fat, but he’s got a spare tire, whereas Peggy Hill is pretty thin … Continue reading →

Posted in Fat, fat and more fat, Media criticism, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 77 Comments

Is It Because Terri's a Girl?

Posted on March 25, 2005 by Ampersand

Interesting point from The St. Petersburg Times: Three right-to-die cases have stirred the most controversy over the last 30 years: Karen Ann Quinlan, Nancy Cruzan and Terri Schiavo. Is it a coincidence that all three are women who were under … Continue reading →

Posted in Media criticism, Terri Schiavo | 26 Comments

Family Values ain't all bad

Posted on September 20, 2004 by Ampersand

David Blankenhorn writes: “FAMIY VALUES”: I know I keep repeating this, but here’s another example of how the term “family values” is almost always used today as a term of abuse, accusation, or irony, never anymore as a term aiming … Continue reading →

Posted in Media criticism | 5 Comments

Bias at the BBC – and on the US networks

Posted on August 19, 2003 by Ampersand

Josh Chafetz of Oxblog has a cover story (!) in the current Weekly Standard, “The Disgrace of the BBC.” First of all, Maziltov! to Josh on the story publication – I think the cover of the Standard is quite a … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Iraq, Media criticism | 4 Comments

Women Directors: Out of the Hollywood Loop?

Posted on April 22, 2003 by Ampersand

(An alternative, Variety-style headline for this post, suggested by a reader: Flix by Chix Nixed cuz no Dix?!?) The LA Times has an interesting article on the lack of female directors. For example, “‘Chasing Papi,’ a low-budget movie directed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Gender and the Economy, Media criticism | 3 Comments

How we talk about women in combat

Posted on April 4, 2003 by Ampersand

J. at Silver Rights (aka Mac Diva – how does she manage to write so much?) has a must-read post about race, sex, and Pfc. Jessica Lynch. (If the permalink is bloggered, look for the entry on April 3 2003 … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Iraq, Media criticism, Sexism hurts men | Comments Off on How we talk about women in combat

Passing thought on media and the differences between the two big parties

Posted on March 28, 2003 by Ampersand

The American media largely limits its view of politics to questions that are at issue between the big two parties. Abortion is a major issue of contention between the two parties, therefore it is discussed. Monica Lewinsky was a major … Continue reading →

Posted in Elections and politics, Media criticism | 1 Comment