Society & Culture

Net Savvy: Indigo

Indigo is a positive, body friendly, age appropriate online magazine for girls. It is also available in print form through subscription. Not only is it full of fun stuff, but it actually makes girls feel great about who they are. The emphasis is on creating a positive, independent self-perception for girls in the pre-teen and [...]

youthbeyondblue talks: Tom's story

“My stress levels were blown way out of proportion compared to what was actually happening in my life.” beyondblue youth ambassador Tom Rust, aged 21. Tom Rust’s family knew something was wrong, but they attributed the dramatic change in his behaviour to the pressures of his last year at school. And by his own admission, [...]

Girls’ Mag Watch: More Stereotyped and Limiting Messages for Girls

By Melinda Tankard-Reist. For many girls, the magazines they read are their lifestyle bibles. How should they look, dress, act and relate? What's important in life? Who should they look up to? My analysis of the November issues of Girlfriend, Dolly, Girlpower, Disney Girl, Little Angel and the October and November issues of TotalGirl shows [...]

Government committed to changing Australia’s drinking culture by taking alcohol out of sports

As part of its commitment to changing Australia’s drinking culture, the Government is implementing the National Binge Drinking Strategy to address binge drinking among young people. The Government has committed $103.5 million to the National Binge Drinking Strategy. As part of this strategy, the Community Sponsorship Fund of $25 million is to provide an alternative [...]

A win for concerned consumers as Amazon.com forced to withdraw Paedophile’s Guide

Now that Amazon.com has bowed to public pressure and withdrawn The Paedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure: A child Lover’s Code of Conduct from sale, it is time for us to ask why they would ever consider selling such an item on their website in the first place. Even more surprising is the fact that this is not [...]

A win in Hollywood for motherhood and the body that comes with it

Jessica Alba is a true modern day heroine. Not just for her role in the Fantastic Four but because finally there is an actress in Hollywood willing to stand up and admit to liking her body just the way it is. It is a rare thing when an actress actually admits that she likes her [...]

Music, art or soft porn?

It seems suddenly everyone is noticing that the video clips on offer today are basically glorified porn depicting the sexualisation of women covered in a thin veil of being an artistic music clip. For some time now experts have been voicing their concerns about the consequences of such blatant imagery on young people. Julie Gale, [...]

Boys forfeit their right to innocence as sexualisation takes hold

We have been reading about the sexualisation of girls for some time now, however this worrying trend is now also affecting young boys. The market is being flooded with products loaded with attitude aimed at toddler aged boys and upwards.  A recent Huggies ad featured a toddler in a denim-print nappy and button-down oxford shirt [...]

Net Savvy: About Date Rape

This website is hosted by the NSW Dept of Community Services.  What is date rape? Date rape is when someone you know socially (but not family) makes you have sex when you don’t want to. It could be someone you meet at a party, or someone you love and trust, like your boyfriend.  They might [...]

Guest Post: Hello Sunday Morning. To drink or not to drink, that is the question

By Chris Raine As a young Australian, I grew up with the perception that getting drunk on the weekend is just what you do. No questions asked. From 16, when I threw that first beer down my neck, right through to the expensive dinners with champagne that starts with sips and ends in bottles; I [...]

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