Whoa. That was super interesting and made some really good points.

I have to admit, as a teenager, I was expecting to be talked down to and infantilized. But, alas, no such thing in there. It was awesome.

Thanks for posting.

Great interview. I worry about my niece, who's going to be ten this year and already has, what I consider anyway, an unhealthy fascination with Bratz dolls. She asked me for one for Christmas one year and I refused to get it for her. Another family member did, though, so I guess there's always someone. My niece was also one of those poor kids who got the letter from the school about her "unhealthy BMI" which prompted my sister to put her on a diet immediately when 1) BMI's are bullshit and 2)she wasn't at all fat in the first place.

It's like a never ending cycle all to make us buy shit we don't need and women seem to be paying the biggest price for it.

Greetings, all. Yes, the interview (and what I've heard about the content so far) is great and this is an issue that needs much attention---But, ummm, can we talk about the cover? The whole point of this work is that we are exceedingly concerned about the sexualization of young girls in the media. Last time I checked, a book is media, so imagine my dismay to discover that the cover of the book is a very young girl staring alluringly with sultry eyes at the camera while she applies lip gloss!!! Say what?!
My hypocrisy meter is pegged out.
I guess sex (and shock value) does sell--for everyone regardless of purpose.
Any other opinions? Talk me down, if necessary---but this really affected me.
Peace,
Jackie

I just wrote my undergrad thesis on subject! It was titled "Bratz, The New Barbie: Doll Play, Tween Culture, and the Sexualization of Girlhood." In that interview, she said a lot of the same stuff I said in the project, but sooo much better. I saw a review of this book in Ms. after I had turned in my bound pages and wished that I had this book to include in my research. However, Courtney and Jessica, I did include both of your books in my bibliography and footnotes. :-)
As far as the image on the cover goes, I did use a lot of images of sexualized girls in my presentation. When I was presenting, my audience looked horrified. I think that seeing the images while hearing or reading about what our culture is doing to young girls can be very powerful.

So I'm a little late to this post, but Durham describes herself as a "pro-sex feminist," which is a term I've heard a lot but can't quite wrap my head around. Is there something inherently contained within feminism that's "anti-sex"?

Or, I guess a better way to phrase the question is, what differentiates pro-sex feminists from ... other sorts of feminists?

Anyway if someone could shed some light on that term I'd be much obliged.

(Fascinating interview by the way. The lede quote is absolutely chilling.)

jmbehrens,

In the good/bad old days, depending upon your perspective, pro-sex 60's and 70's activists often found themselves in conflict with feminists (which many times was anti-porn and not into discussing sexual pleasure) so I think the pro-sex label is a reaction to that, although among third wavers like those here, it is kind of like, well, duh we're pro-sex, or at least pro-sexual choice (including the choice not to have it!)

I think it's really inaccurate and unfair to describe radical feminists as "not into discussing sexual pleasure".

People who identify as pro sex feminists are basically pro porn, as that is really where the distinction first arose.

It's bullshit rhetoric, frankly, like "pro life" is bullshit rhetoric.

MirandaJay,

My understanding of it is taken from what Nancy Friday had to say about her fellow second-wave feminists, which is that they didn't want to discuss sexual pleasure b/c they thought it was inappropriate. So her argument was that in her experience, there wasn't much overlap between feminists and the sexual revolution crowd.

Like I said, I don't think it is really that relevant among third wavers. And I wasn't singling out radical feminists. And although I wouldn't call myself a pro-sex feminist any more, I have in the past, and I am pretty anti-porn.