(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Grants to promote media literacy and youth empowerment programs. 
Sec. 4. Research on the role and impact of girls and women in the media on 
the development of youth. 
Sec. 5. National Task Force on Girls and Women in the Media. 
Sec. 6. Limitation. 
Sec. 7. Definitions. 
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to the 2010 study by the Kaiser 
Family Foundation entitled ‘‘Generation M2 Media 
in Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds’’, most 8- to 18-year- 
olds spend about 10 hours a day using recreational 
media. 
(2) Sixty percent of teenage girls compare their 
bodies to fashion models and almost 90 percent of 
girls say the media places a lot of pressure on teen-
age girls to be thin, according to the 2010 Girl 
Scout Research Institute report entitled ‘‘Beauty 
Redefined’’. 
(3) Only 34 percent of girls report being very 
satisfied with their bodies, according to the 2006 
study by the Girl Scout Research Institute entitled 
‘‘The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy 
Living’’. Body dissatisfaction can lead to unhealthy 
eating and dieting habits. Fifty-five percent of girls 
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admit that they diet to lose weight, 37 percent know 
someone who has been diagnosed with an eating dis-
order, and 31 percent admit to starving themselves 
or refusing to eat as a strategy to lose weight. 
(4) Fifty-four percent of young girls in grades 
3 through 5 worry about their appearance, and 37 
percent of such girls worry specifically about their 
weight, according to the 2006 Girls Inc. report enti-
tled ‘‘The Supergirl Dilemma: Girls Grapple with 
the Mounting Pressure of Expectations’’. 
(5) A 2007 report of the American Psycho-
logical Association’s Task Force on the Sexualization 
of Girls reported that 3 of the most common mental 
health problems among girls, eating disorders, de-
pression or depressed mood, and low self-esteem, are 
linked to sexualization of girls and women in media. 
(6) Sexualized messages and images of girls 
and women can also negatively impact boys. Accord-
ing to the 2007 report of the American Psycho-
logical Association’s Task Force on the Sexualization 
of Girls, frequent exposure to sexualized media im-
ages of girls and women can create unrealistic and 
unhealthy expectations of girls’ and women’s phys-
ical appearance for boys, and may impair their abil-
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ity to develop healthy relationships with girls and 
women. 
(7) Girls and women of color are disproportion-
ately absent from mainstream media. The Girl Scout 
Research Institute report, ‘‘Beauty Redefined’’, 
states that only 32 percent of African-American girls 
think the fashion industry does a good job of rep-
resenting people of all races and ethnicities. 
(8) Women and girls continue to be underrep-
resented in leadership roles in children’s media. The 
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media re-
ports that less than 1 in 3 speaking characters in 
children’s movies are female, and that the majority 
of female characters in children’s movies are praised 
for their appearance or physical beauty rather than 
their personality, intelligence, or other talents. 
(9) Congress supports efforts to ensure that 
youth improve their media literacy skills, and to pro-
mote positive messages about girls and women that 
highlight healthy and diverse body images, positive 
and active female role models, and equal and healthy 
relationships between female and male characters. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO PROMOTE MEDIA LITERACY AND 
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS. 
(a) MEDIA LITERACY.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants to nonprofit organizations to provide for the 
establishment, operation, coordination, and evalua-
tion of programs to increase the media literacy of 
girls and boys, including by— 
(A) educating youth on how to apply crit-
ical thinking skills when consuming media im-
ages and messages; 
(B) encouraging youth to consume healthy, 
balanced, and positive media depictions of girls 
and women; and 
(C) raising awareness about the perpetua-
tion and damaging effects of unhealthy images 
of girls and women, gender stereotypes, and the 
sexualization of girls and women. 
(2) ACTIVITIES.—Programs funded under this 
subsection may include— 
(A) programs designed to encourage youth 
to develop analytical skills that promote auton-
omy and critical understanding of how girls and 
women are depicted in the media; 
(B) age-appropriate education about how 
the 
sexualization 
of 
girls 
and 
women, 
stereotypical gender roles, and unhealthy im-
ages of girls and women can affect the body 
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image of youth, the choice of role models by 
youth, and relationships of youth among their 
peers; 
(C) programs designed to provide youth 
the skills to take responsibility for their use of 
media; 
(D) education on career opportunities 
within the media; 
(E) programs designed to teach youth how 
to create and use media to contribute to social 
change, especially in their communities; 
(F) education for parents, educators, and 
other adults on how depictions of girls and 
women in the media impact youth; or 
(G) support for public or private partner-
ships that encourage businesses, advertisers, 
the entertainment industry, and other media 
content providers to promote media content 
that— 
(i) encourages healthy body images; 
(ii) depicts positive and active female 
role models; and 
(iii) portrays equal and healthy rela-
tionships between female and male char-
acters. 
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(3) REPORT.—The Secretary shall require each 
grant recipient under this subsection to submit to 
the Secretary a report for each grant period that— 
(A) describes how grant funds were used; 
and 
(B) evaluates the effectiveness of the pro-
gram funded through the grant. 
(b) YOUTH EMPOWERMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants to nonprofit organizations to provide for the 
establishment, operation, coordination, and evalua-
tion of programs to support the empowerment of 
girls or boys in a variety of ways, including by en-
couraging 
youth 
empowerment 
through 
extra-
curricular activities and programs that— 
(A) develop self-esteem, skills, and talents; 
and 
(B) celebrate characteristics unrelated to 
physical appearance, such as leadership and 
self-esteem. 
(2) ACTIVITIES.—Programs funded under this 
subsection may include programs designed to— 
(A) build confidence, self-efficacy, and 
leadership skills of youth in single gender envi-
ronments; 
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(B) develop values and skills of youth such 
as respect, critical thinking, problem solving, 
and collaborative team work; or 
(C) facilitate opportunities for youth to 
interact with adult role models, such as mentors 
and volunteers, in their communities. 
(3) REPORT.—The Secretary shall require each 
grant recipient under this subsection to submit to 
the Secretary a report for each grant period that— 
(A) describes how grant funds were used; 
and 
(B) evaluates the effectiveness of the pro-
gram funded through the grant. 
(c) MATCHING FUNDS.—The Secretary may make a 
grant to a nonprofit organization under subsection (a) or 
(b) only if the organization agrees to make available non- 
Federal contributions toward the costs of the program for 
which such organization revieves a grant in an amount 
that is not less than $1 for every $5 of Federal funds 
awarded under this section. Such contribution may be in 
cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including equipment, 
training, curricula, or a preexisting evaluation framework. 
(d) AWARD AMOUNTS.—No grant awarded under this 
section shall be greater than $1,000,000 or less than 
$100,000. 
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(e) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to nonprofit organi-
zations or projects that are— 
(1) focused on underserved communities and 
groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, rep-
resentatives from different socioeconomic groups, 
and youth at risk for eating disorders; 
(2) gender-specific; 
(3) culturally competent; 
(4) developed in collaboration with subject mat-
ter experts, community leaders, or youth serving or-
ganizations; and 
(5) have demonstrated expertise in providing 
training and evaluation of quality media literacy ac-
tivities or youth empowerment programs. 
(f) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.—A grant may be made 
under subsection (a) or (b) only if the applicant involved 
agrees to the following: 
(1) Not more than 20 percent of the grant 
funds will be used for administration, accounting, re-
porting, and program oversight functions. 
(2) The grant will be used to supplement and 
not supplant funds from other sources for increasing 
the media literacy of, and empowering, youth. 
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(3) The applicant will abide by any limitations 
deemed appropriate by the Secretary on any charges 
to individuals receiving services pursuant to the 
grant. As deemed appropriate by the Secretary, such 
limitations on charges may vary based on the finan-
cial circumstances of the individual receiving serv-
ices. 
(g) GRANT PERIOD; APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE 
DURING SUBSEQUENT GRANT YEARS.— 
(1) GRANT PERIOD.—A grant awarded under 
this section shall be for a period of 3 years. 
(2) APPLICATION
FOR
ASSISTANCE
DURING 
SUBSEQUENT GRANT YEARS.—After the first fiscal 
year for which an entity receives a grant, the entity 
shall apply to receive grant funds for a subsequent 
fiscal year during the grant period by submitting an 
application to the Secretary at the beginning of each 
such fiscal year. An application submitted under this 
paragraph shall include such information as the Sec-
retary may require, including, at a minimum, a de-
scription of the progress of the entity. 
(h) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate 
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committees of the Congress a report on the grants award-
ed under subsections (a) and (b), including— 
(1) a description of how the grant funds were 
used; and 
(2) an evaluation of the effectiveness of such 
grants. 
SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF GIRLS 
AND WOMEN IN THE MEDIA ON THE DEVEL-
OPMENT OF YOUTH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion and in coordination with the Director of the National 
Institutes of Health and the Director of the Eunice Ken-
nedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and 
Human Development, shall review, synthesize, conduct, or 
support research on the role and impact depictions of girls 
and women in the media have on youth in the following 
areas: 
(1) The psychological, physical, sexual, and 
interpersonal development of youth in the following 
areas: 
(A) Cognitive areas such as mental health, 
self-esteem, learning abilities, and problem solv-
ing skills. 
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(B) Physical areas such as diet, nutrition, 
exercise, body image, substance abuse, and 
sleeping and eating routines. 
(C) Social behavioral areas such as rela-
tionships with peers, interactions with parents 
and family members, aggression, high-risk be-
haviors, sexual behavior and development, and 
positive social behaviors. 
(D) Academic performance. 
(E) The perceptions and attitudes of youth 
about the abilities, equity, appearances, and 
leadership potential of girls and boys. 
(2) How the effects of depictions in the media 
of girls and women vary from such depictions of 
boys and men, and by race, ethnicity, and age group. 
(3) How the sexualization and objectification of 
girls and women in media affects the healthy devel-
opment of girls and boys. 
(4) How food marketing and obesity campaigns 
affect the body image, nutrition, and exercise of girls 
and of boys, especially among youth with eating dis-
orders. 
(5) Additional areas as designated by the Sec-
retary. 
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(b) NO DUPLICATION.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that research activities under this section do not duplicate 
other Federal research activities. 
(c) REPORTS.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate 
committees of the Congress a report that— 
(1) synthesizes the results of— 
(A) research under this section; and 
(B) other related research by the private 
or public sector, including the Federal Govern-
ment; 
(2) disaggregates such results by gender, race, 
age, and socioeconomic background; 
(3) includes a compendium of key existing re-
search on the role and impact of depictions of girls 
and women in the media; 
(4) outlines gaps in research on the role and 
impact of depictions of girls and women in the 
media and identifies areas where future research is 
needed; and 
(5) identifies how factors such as the format of 
media, length of exposure to media, age of youth, 
and nature of parental involvement impact such re-
sults. 
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SEC. 5. NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON GIRLS AND WOMEN IN 
THE MEDIA. 
(a) PURPOSES.—The Federal Communications Com-
mission shall convene a task force, to be known as the 
National Task Force on Girls and Women in the Media, 
to develop voluntary steps and goals for promoting healthy 
and positive depictions of girls and women in the media 
for the benefit of all youth. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Task Force shall include 
representatives of the media industry, nonprofit and 
youth-serving organizations, academia and research enti-
ties, psychologists and other child health professionals, 
Federal agencies, and any other public or private entity 
designated by the Federal Communications Commission. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Task Force shall iden-
tify— 
(1) trends with respect to how the media regu-
lated by the Federal Communications Commission 
portrays girls and women; 
(2) how such trends impact the healthy growth 
and development of youth; and 
(3) voluntary measures and goals that the pub-
lic and private sectors can develop to promote 
healthy and positive media depictions of girls and 
women for the benefit of all youth. 
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(d) INITIAL MEETING.—The Federal Communica-
tions Commission shall ensure that the Task Force holds 
its first meeting not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the first meeting of the Task Force, the Federal Com-
munications Commission shall submit a report to Con-
gress that contains— 
(1) the findings of the Task Force under sub-
section (c); and 
(2) recommendations for areas of improvement 
regarding depictions of girls and women in the 
media. 
SEC. 6. LIMITATION. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the 
Secretary may not use amounts made available under this 
Act to conduct or support activities or programs that are 
duplicative of activities or programs otherwise carried out 
through the Department of Health and Human Services 
or the Department of Education. 
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘media’’ includes television pro-
grams, motion pictures, video games, music and 
music videos, the Internet, social media, digital video 
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recorders, cell phones, magazines, newspapers, 
books, advertisements, and other emerging tech-
nologies designed for communication, entertainment, 
education, or information. 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services. 
(3) The term ‘‘sexualization’’ means a cir-
cumstance when— 
(A) a person’s value comes only from his 
or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclu-
sion of other characteristics; 
(B) a person is held to a standard that 
equates physical attractiveness (narrowly de-
fined) and personal value with appearing, act-
ing, and being sexy; 
(C) a person is sexually objectified, or 
made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather 
than seen as a person with the capacity for 
independent action and decisionmaking; or 
(D) sexuality is inappropriately imposed 
upon a person. 
(4) The term ‘‘Task Force’’ means the National 
Task Force on Girls and Women in the Media con-
vened under section 5. 
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SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
For the purpose of carrying out sections 3 and 4, 
there are authorized to be appropriated, in addition to any 
other amounts available for such purpose— 
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, of which— 
(A) $2,000,000 shall be allocated to the 
program under section 3(a); 
(B) $2,000,000 shall be allocated to the 
program under section 3(b); and 
(C) $1,000,000 shall be allocated to the 
program under section 4; and 
(2) $2,000,000 for each fiscal years 2013 
through 2016, of which— 
(A) $500,000 shall be allocated to the pro-
gram under section 3(a); 
(B) $500,000 shall be allocated to the pro-
gram under section 3(b); and 
(C) $1,000,000 shall be allocated to the 
program under section 4. 
Æ 
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