Stay up to Date! Here you can Find Reviews and Commentary on Media Related to our Issues.
You can use these articles as learning tools for yourself or for the young people around you. If there is a book, article, video, etc. you would like us to review, just let us know!
What Off Campus Gets Right About Consent, Survivorship, and Masculinity
Content Warning: This article and the series mentioned include conversations about sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. While reading or watching, please make sure to care for yourself and show yourself compassion. Disclaimer: Off Campus is rated TV-MA, suited for audiences 18+. Amazon Prime’s newest young adult show, Off Campus, became one of the most watched series overnight. This show has sparked a lot of online discourse for many reasons—a fake-dating troupe, endless yearning, and, of course, the lingering [...]
MEDIA REVIEW: The Mask You Live In
Have you ever felt like you had to act in a certain way, fit into a specific label, or shut down parts of yourself to be treated with respect or cared about? “Be tough. Be the leader. Don’t cry. Man up.” These are phrases boys and men often hear every day, from their friends, family, and communities. Why? Because of social expectations that end up causing everyone harm. The documentary The Mask You Live In explores how, [...]
The Summer I Chose Emotional Vulnerability
*Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from The Summer I Turned Pretty.* The Summer I Turned Pretty is a three-season adaptation of the popular 2010 book trilogy written by Jenny Han. Han is known for authentically portraying coming-of-age stories with characters whose complexity accurately reflects the nuances of real-life relationships, both with themselves and others. She doesn’t shy away from writing about the emotional depth that many young adults face and are often not acknowledged for or supported through, and The Summer I [...]
Reality Check: What Love Island USA Teaches Us About Healthy & Unhealthy Relationship Dynamics
Love Island USA was arguably the hottest show of the summer, surpassing 18 billion minutes viewed during its six-week run. For the viewers, this season brought watch parties, iconic memes, and nonstop discourse online, but it’s so much more than an entertaining reality show; it’s a social experiment in dating under extreme circumstances. Beyond the steamy challenges and dramatic recoupling ceremonies, Love Island can provide a platform for viewers to reflect on what makes a relationship healthy or unhealthy and reminds [...]
BOOK REVIEW: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette Mccurdy
Summary In this memoir, former actress and child star Jennette McCurdy recounts her life starting from the age of six. What follows is a very honest account of how McCurdy’s mother shaped her life as she forces her daughter into an acting career, teaches her how to diet to maintain a low weight, and constantly invades her privacy. McCurdy’s childhood and teenage years revolve around her complex family relationships and the strain of Hollywood life. At the halfway point of the [...]
BOOK REVIEW: The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valérie Fontaine and illustrated by Nathalie Dion
Summary: Our narrator, a young girl, describes how her and her mother’s lives change when her mother’s friend comes to live with them – A friend that is described as a big bad wolf who treats the girl coldly. While the wolf is initially kind to the girl’s mother, his behavior soon takes a turn for the worse as he begins yelling at her mother. As the wolf’s cruel behavior around the house continues, our narrator tries to avoid setting him off [...]
