STOP JC Penney and Forever 21

Hello -- are you listening out there!  What an outrage!  I just pulled this article off the internet, but I must say I cannot believe in this day and age people are still saying these types of things to young girls.     Stop JC Penney and Forever 21 from putting more sexist clothing on their shelves. Girls are Allergic to Algebra?   Clicking here will automatically add your name to this petition to JC Penney and Forever 21: "Clearly something is broken if your companies are marketing shirts to young girls that read "Allergic to Algebra" or "I'm too pretty to do homework." You pulled those two products from the shelves after outraged customers complained, but you need to go further and make a public commitment to improve your review process and ensure you never again stock clothing for girls featuring sexist and demeaning slogans." Automatically add your name:   Learn more about this campaign Dear Friend, Just yesterday, retailer Forever 21 began offering for sale a shirt for girls emblazoned with the slogan "Allergic to Algebra." And a few weeks ago, JC Penney offered similar girls' shirts with the slogan "I'm too pretty to do homework, so my brother has to do it for me." Sexist slogans like these play into and perpetuate the offensive stereotypes that women are innately bad at math or that being pretty is more important than being smart. By selling these shirts, the stores give their implicit support of these efforts to convince girls that, to be stylish and fit in, they must be bad at math or less interested than boys in academic achievement. After backlash from outraged customers, the both shirts were pulled from the shelves and online stores.1 But how did the sexist shirts get there in the first place? Clearly, something is totally broken within the corporate culture of these retailers. There is no effective review process for the clothing sold at JC Penney and Forever 21 if offensive clothing like this that demeans young girls makes it to their shelves. Tell the CEOs of JC Penney and Forever 21 that you will hold them accountable for the clothing that is sold in their stores. Demand they make a public commitment to keep sexist clothing for girls from making it to their shelves in the future. Click here to automatically sign the petition. These retailers are clearly sensitive to public pressure, as evidenced by how quickly they pulled the shirts after a public backlash arose. But that's not good enough. We must pressure JC Penney and Forever 21 to make the changes necessary at corporate headquarters to ensure sexist shirts like these never even come close to making it to the shelves. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people at JC Penney and Forever 21 encountered these shirts before they were made available to the public. Why didn't employees of these retailers at some point say, "Hey, are we really going to sell shirts to young girls that say 'I'm too pretty for homework' or 'Allergic to Algebra'?" It's obvious that these shirts perpetuate offensive and harmful stereotypes about the ability of women to achieve academically relative to men. Of course, many studies have confirmed that these stereotypes are baseless, and that women's minds are just as well suited to performing academically as men's. But, because popular culture is so powerful, many women and girls will conform to negative stereotypes of what a woman is supposed to achieve if they are continually reinforced. Stores like JC Penney and Forever 21 help shape that culture through the clothing they sell. It's clear that these stores listen to public pressure, but we must pressure JC Penney and Forever 21 to take concrete steps to ensure that clothing this sexist never even comes close to making it onto shelves again. Tell the CEOs of JC Penney and Forever 21 that you will hold them accountable for the clothing that is sold in their stores. Demand they make a public commitment to keep sexist clothing for girls from making it to their shelves in the future. Click here to automatically sign the petition. Thank you for standing up to sexism. Ali Rozell, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets 1. "J.C. Penney Shirt Teaches Girls That Being Smart & Pretty Are Mutually Exclusive," Ellie Krupnick, Huffington Post, 08-03-2011. "Forever 21′s 'Allergic to Algebra' Shirt Draws Criticism," Christina Ng, ABC News, 09-12-2011.

Hannah Storm.....

I was listening (not watching...multitasking) Gayle King as she talked to Hannah Storm about her book "Raising Healthy Confident and Successful Daughters Through Sports".

That is right up our alley -- I haven't read the book but will order it today write about it.  I was thinking that it would be such a great thing for the mothers of young girls and women to read.  Just a little info --

Good Morning From Maine - We Love Dressage!

We love dressage and totally support Dressage for Kids, located at Pineland's Equestrian Center (right here in Maine).  Everyone on the team works hard -- and it shows in their riding.  Look for some great things from these girls and young women.  Remember the name D4K!!

Pineland Equestrian Center

 

 

Female Athletes Improving Their Game Starting With Their Mouth Guard

 

“Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.” This makes you think about Secret deodorant, right? Well, we’re not talking about deodorant here. We’re talking about the Pure Power Mouthguard, and more and more female athletes are using them. Not only does this guard serve as quality mouth protection, but it is helping women prevent injury, and improving their athletic abilities. Yes ladies, you read that correctly. It helps prevent injury and boosts your abilities as an athlete.

The Pure Power Mouthguard is custom made for your mouth by a neuromuscular dentist, and when properly fitted it helps align the jaw and relaxes the muscles in your face which allows for upper body strength. But it doesn’t end there. When the jaw is properly aligned the head and neck are too. The spine also becomes properly aligned as well which allows for more overall strength. Because of this total alignment women are finding that the PPM enhances their athletic performance. How? Well, we know that when playing sports most injuries occur during deceleration, when an athlete is stopping, cutting, or landing. Women using PPM have noticed that they have more balance and stability, which results in fewer injuries, and they are more agile and quicker which improves their skills. So ladies, what are you waiting for? Try the Pure Power Mouthguard, if not for the enhanced athletic ability and injury prevention, then for the superior mouth protection it offers – and get your game on.

Find a dentist that offers the PPM mouthguard in your area, through Top3Dentists. Doctors like Dr. Martha Cortes, a top neuromuscular and cosmetic dentist in New York, New York, and Dr. Gary Alhadef, a top neuromuscular and cosmetic dentist in Dallas, Texas, work with athletes to custom fit the Pure Power Mouthguard. Take a look at Dr. Cortes in action fitting a patient for a PPM.

Top3Dentists is a one of a kind dental referral website. Offering only the highest standards in dental care, Top3Dentists hand selects dentists by invitation-only, so that patients will find only the most highly trained and qualified dental professionals. Every dentist participating in the Top3Dentists referral website has taken hundreds of hours of additional training and certification by the most reputable continuing education and dental organizations in the United States. For more information on PPM, and other topics like taking your children to the dentist, preventing cavities, tips for teeth whitening, and more help in finding a top dentist in your area, visit Top3Dentists Blog.

Nicole's Run - First Annual (5K Run/Walk) -- It's a success

Nicole's Walk ...The First Annual Walk/Run was by all accounts a success.

As I came around the corner at Mother's Beach in Kennebunk, my heart skipped a few beats.  There were so many people, purple balloons, a tent, event staff (well organized!) prizes, information, smiling faces, kids, mothers, fathers, volunteers and most important of all runners and walkers all 300 of them!  This was the first run and to have such a well-organized, well-attended event -- you just have to give credit to Amanda Vanesse and all the people that helped her.   Get in training for next year....walk, run -- we will see you there.

 

Nicole Oliver

Let us join together and give voice to the silence.  Together, we can really make a difference.

On Sunday, July 13th at 8 a.m. at Mother's Beach in Kennebunk, Maine -

This will be the place to be!  Walk or run in this 5K against domestic violence.  All proceeds from this event will be donated to Caring Unlimited.  www.caring-unlimited.org

If you can't run for yourself- run for Nicole.

Come alone bring a friend, bring a team....it

doesn't matter.  What does matter is that you are there....

Sadly, last year Nicole Oliver, a 24 year old mother of two boys was murdered in Wells, by her husband, who then killed himself.

In honor of Nicole's memory, her childhood friend, Amanda Vanesse, has organized the first annual 5k race.

Sign up on-line at www.active.com.  Type "Kennebunk, Maine" in the search window, which will take you to Nicole's run.  This is a great way to spend your Sunday morning.  Invite your friends, your family and take a stand against domestic violence.  Be a Girl Today is proud to have helped to sponsor this event.

See you there!

For race information or sponsorship, please call (207) 590-6629

Return from Paris and Back to School

Fall - 2007

                         It's been exactly one month since I left Paris, and I've had sometime to reflect upon my experiences.  I am an International Business student at Northeastern University.  Our program is unique because we study at a local university for a semester and then we have to complete a 6 month internship.  It was particularly exciting because I had never been to Europe before.  I packed my life into two bags, including of course, my pink Ride Like a Girl and blue You Wish You Could Ski Like a Girl t-shirts!  I said goodbye to my family and friends and boarded a plan to France, ready to embark on one of the most interesting years of my life.

Europe - Fall 2006

After two weeks of back-packing through Bulgaria and Greece, I began my year in France studying in a town called Reims, which is about 45 minutes East of Paris on the TGV.  Reims is know for it's beautiful cathedral, and it is the mecca of champagne production.  It is home to the houses of Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Louis Roederer, the maker of Cristal.  Classes were pretty hard because they were all in French, but we survived and made lots of friends from all over the world, including Mexicans, Australians, Italians, Germans, Spanish, Irish, French and Dutch.