| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this buzzed-about blog is the brainchild of 16-year-old feminist Julie Zeilinger. Zeilinger and other contributors tackle feminist topics ranging from mild -- extraordinary women, sexism in pop culture -- to more controversial or sensitive subjects like abortion, rape, and teen sex (though most of the posts are of the “mild” variety). Readers can comment and submit their own posts for consideration. The blog links to some sites that are more superficial or explicit than its own content. Parents' reactions to this site will most likely be influenced by their personal beliefs about feminism, politics, sexuality, and related issues.
Created by teen feminist Julie Zeilinger, the scrappy blog FBOMB aims to provide a community for "teenage girls who care about their rights as women and want to be heard," taking on a tone that's "loud, proud, [and] sarcastic." But Zeilinger and the site's other contributors and commenters are also intelligent and insightful. It's a much-needed antidote to the endless Web sites, magazines, and movies that assume that teen girls only care about fashion, boys, and buying stuff.
Online interaction: Though discussions around certain topics can get intense, users are respectful and tend to debate the issues rather than resort to personal attacks.
Families can talk about which TV shows and movies offer realistic portrayals of teen life. Zeilinger points out that shows like Gossip Girl seem to paint all teens as sex crazed and angst ridden. What shows and characters can you relate to? Which ones feature realistic role models?
Families with older teens can talk about how gender stereotypes play into the media’s depiction of sex and sexuality. Contributor Sarah F. blogs about how TV shows and films often pit the “good girl virgin” against the “bad girl slut.” How can this type of stereotyping be harmful?
| Genre: | Blogging |
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