We're doing our students a real disservice if we don't teach them to become critical consumers of the media. That awareness is essential. Discussion also lessens denial about the power of ads. At Teen Voices, a national magazine written by and for young women, resistance to negative images runs strong. Every July, Dines conducts a week-long institute at Wheelock College, open to teachers, parents, and others interested in the media.
Participants learn to teach children about media images.
In her college classes, she sees immediate results as students deconstruct ads critically. Dines encourages mass boycotts of the media and widespread refusals to buy offending magazines and the products they advertise. Articles explained why particular ads were sexist, then encouraged readers to write letters of complaint to the advertising agency, the advertiser, and the magazine. For a small newsletter, we had tremendous success. Ellen Levine, editor of Good Housekeeping, seconds that approach.