Recent blog postings:
I often write on blogs including Sociological Images, The Feminist Wire, Racialicious, Adios, Barbie and From the Mixed Up Files of Middle Grade Authors. Some recent posts by topic include:
1. Feminism/Gender Politics
Pregnant Women Are Now Targets: The Tragedy of Purvi Patel.April 26, 2015.
Purvi Patel is Not a Terrorist: What Happens When Fetal Citizenship Trumps Women’s Rights. April 24, 2015.
Why Facebook’s Egg Donor Ads Freak Me Out (And Should Freak You Out Too!).April 27, 2015.
Facebook and Apple Want Your Unborn! Or, Why Corporations Should Keep their Hands Off Employees’ Ovaries.November 10, 2014
Notes from Trigger-Gate: Why I Give Trigger Warnings. June 5, 2014.
Carter as Kristof: How Jimmy Carter’s New Book Takes a Page Out of Nicholas Kristof’s Savior Narrative. May 22, 2014
All the Foreign Ladies: The Case Against Saving Global Women and Girls. April 17, 2014
To (Feminist) Mama With Love January 20, 2014
Making Room for Everyone: Gender Nonconforming and Transgender Characters in Middle Grade Novels December 13, 2013
#Intersectionality for Racists: On Miss America September 20, 2013
Abused Goddesses, Orientalism, and the Glamorization of Gender Based ViolenceSeptember 12, 2013
Why Male Pregnancy Matters July 30, 2013
Teen Pregnancy as Moral Panic June 13, 2013
Neither Pink Nor Perfect: Muddy and Mighty Middle Grade Girls March 29, 2013
Realistic Girls and Fantastic Boys? Middle Grade Fantasy, Realistic Fiction and the Great Gender Divide January 4, 2013 [Pending publication in Speculative Fiction 2013: The Best Online Reviews, Essays, and Commentary]
Suit or Sari? Professionalism and Ethnic Dressing. (viral article, multiply published). –
adiosbarbie.com, racialicious.com , everydayfeminism.com“Your Women Are Oppressed, but Ours are Awesome”: How Nicholas Kristof and Half the Sky Use Women Against Each Other October 8, 2012
Boobies, Ta-tas and Cha-chas, Oh My! On the Sexification of Cancer May 11, 2011
2. Body Image/Size Acceptance
The Fat Letters: One Young Filmmaker’s Activism Against Fat Letters. April 7, 2014
Doctors Can Be Fat Shamers Too March 24, 2014
The Shame of Fat-Shaming March 20, 2014
From Augustus Gloop to Dudley Dursley: Fat Studies and Middle Grade NovelsJune 7, 2013
BMI in Schools: Educating Children in Self-Loathing, Not Health April 15, 2013
Controlling Portions, Controlling Pregnancies: Race and Class Panic in New York City Public Health Campaigns April 3, 2013
Novel as Mirror: Teen Literature and Body Image October 15, 2011
The False Mirror: On Diversity, Bizarre Barbies and Body Image Activism April 11, 2011
On Intersectionality and Toxic Body Culture March 30, 2011
3. Race and Media
Fying While Brown: The Insecurity of travel. June 19, 2014.
Fying While Brown. July 21, 2014.
The perils of flying while brown.July 21, 2014.
#InstagrammingAfrica: The Narcisissm of Global Voluntourism. (with Lauren Kascak)June 18 2014.
Dear Racist Yogini: It’s South Asia Calling and We Want Our Yoga Back January 31, 2014
Racy, Sexy, and Culturally Appripriate-y: It’s Halloween Again, Folks! October 7, 2013
White People Talking to White People about Social Justice: Why Book of Mormon Just May be Doing Something Right August 8, 2013
Multi-Ethnic Families in Middle Grade Novels August 5, 2013
Bollywood Primetime: Can One Big Dance Number Smash Racism? May 1, 2012
Butterflies, Slumdogs and Tiger Moms: Asian American Women and the Rescue Narrative April 11, 2012
Why Are We Still Whitewashing? Feb. 21, 2012
White Vamps, Black Witches: Race Politics and Vampire Pop Culture Feb. 21, 2011
4. Narrative Medicine/Disability/Illness
Listening With Our Pens: Narrative Humility for Writers October 14, 2013
‘Differences’ as Superpowers in Middle Grade Novels January 13, 2012
Disability in Middle Grade Novels July 25, 2011
5. Parenting/Literacy/Writing for Children
The Children’s Hour: Poetry Study with Middle Grade Readers October 7, 2013
On Being A Woman Writer: An Open Letter to Virginia Woolf May 2, 2013
Should we ban Little House for Racism? April 10, 2012
Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities Giveaway! An Interview with Author (and Ukelele Player) Mike Jung October 3, 2012
Summer Writing Prompts for Young Writers (and Readers!) June 22, 2012
Writing Our Bodies: Embodiment, Voice and Literature April 13, 2011