pop culture
Female pop-culture icons, women in the media and the depiction of women in the entertainment and pop culture sphere.
Looking Back at #MeToo
I was a journalism student at community college when the story broke—producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual assault by multiple women, and from then on, the list kept growing.
Katherine J. ZumpanoPublished 5 years ago in VivaWe Need to Talk About the 'Captain Marvel' Movie
Okay okay, so when I heard the news about the new #CaptainMarvel movie, I just about flipped. No, I'm not a huge #Marvel fan, I'm not even a huge superhero movie fan. And to be honest, I originally thought it could have been because it just wasn't my thing.
Reigning WomenPublished 5 years ago in VivaToo Close for Comfort?
Social media is exploding with opposing opinions as the new advertising campaign “We believe: the best men can be” from Gillette goes viral, with both abuse and praise for the advert that promotes positive masculinity.
Clare ScanlanPublished 5 years ago in Viva10 Most Ridiculous Products Made "For Girls"
How often do you see desperation in its purest form? In case it's not often, I collected several examples to remind you. While these ridiculous products made “for girls” are somewhat useless, they manage to capture an important societal issue. We have come far in many ways, yet lack in others. These products not only scream stereotypical gender norms, but they also prove how low companies will go when competing for attention and sales. In the end, it is a reflection of us as a whole and the work that still needs to get done. By overcoming certain ideals in consumerism, we empower one another as both the buyer and individual.
Michelle EstevezPublished 5 years ago in Viva"Baby It's Cold Outside" Is Not a Rape Song!
Okay, I have been seeing those posts on Facebook and other social media that "Baby It's Cold Outside" is some kind of sick rape anthem. Umm...no, it is not. Let's take a closer look at the lyrics, shall we? But, before that, we want to look at the history of the song and what were the socially acceptable norms of that day and age, shall we?
'Baby It's Cold Outside' Becomes Hot Topic in #MeToo Era
"Baby It's Cold Outside" has, thanks to #Glee (and #ErinDavis and #MikeCooper from 98.1 #CHFI in #Toronto), become one of my favorite #Christmas songs of all time. Before I talk about the lyrics, I just have to say that #ChrisColfer and #DarrenCriss looked like they were having a terrific time singing what had been until that point a duet between a man and a woman, and when I heard Davis and Cooper's version on CHFI, it struck me that these two cohosts and friends were having a ball singing it.
Christina St-JeanPublished 5 years ago in VivaTop 10 Needlessly Sexualized Female Movie Characters
Sometimes a sexy character can add an important element to a film, but sometimes we just have to ask, is it really necessary? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 needlessly sexualized female movie characters.
Gender Pay Gap in Sport Proves Work Still Needs to Be Done
When is the one time that organisations can get away with not paying women the same amount of money as men for doing the exact same job? The answer: sport.
Chloe HorswillPublished 6 years ago in VivaIf These Forms Could Talk...
Kristen Roupenian’s short story "Cat Person" published in The New Yorker has gained a lot of notoriety, and for good reason. Besides its immediately evident relatability, particularly to Millennials, it is not a very explicit work. This naturally draws out flocks of self-taught literary critics that archive blog posts recounting easily-digestible interpretations about “what 'Cat Person' does for feminism.” Not to say that no one has deconstructed "Cat Person" in a non-feminist lens, but there is undeniably a large pocket of criticisms working at this angle. However, these types of readings are not only narrow in scope, but sloppy. Form is largely ignored, despite it having just as much to say as the explicit narrative. Roupenian very slyly subverts and combines them to make her larger overall point: a reflection on how millennials now date and interact.
Nadine PothierPublished 6 years ago in VivaBeYoutiful
We hear people say beauty is skin deep, but the media is a constantly contradicting that statement. Many of us try to empower others by telling them what is on the inside is what matters the most. Although, it is not easy to empower someone who is being strongly affected by the powerful influences of the media; it ends up becoming difficult to let the important messages shine through all the toxicity. You can hold an umbrella over your head but the rain will continue falling; the media is just like that, even if we try to protect ourselves from its influences it’s still present. Each and everyday, the media goes through extreme lengths to put out content that represents the ideal beauty standard. The content is seen all around us, from music videos to billboards. Unfortunately, most of the content that is put out distorts the public’s perception of beauty.
Loss of IdentityPublished 6 years ago in VivaFireflies in the Dark
Did you ever catch fireflies when you were younger? Put them in a jar to watch them glow? Did you remember to poke holes in the lid? Did you put them in your room like a nightlight? Until, one by one they fall to the bottom and go out. Did someone tell you to let them go or they would die? Did you keep them anyway?
Skyler WhitfieldPublished 6 years ago in VivaTop 5 Powerful Female Characters
Ellen Ripley - 'Alien' Ripley was a Warrant Officer and one of the most experienced individuals known to have survived encounters with the Xenomorph on the ship Nostromo.