'Stepping up the fight against childhood s*xualisation', an article by Elizabeth Willmott Harrop, is now up on On Line Opinion. It talks about the New Zealand reaction to the increasing sexualisation of our children, and mentions Getting Real author Julie Gale's activism with Kids Free 2 B Kids:

If the Australian experience is anything to go by, what New Zealand needs is an individual to champion the issue. Dr Emma Rush, lead author of Corporate Paedophilia comments “Kids Free 2 B Kids founder Julie Gale is phenomenally effective. More than anything else, this is what the issue needed - a champion. Julie is a fantastic networker and has brought together a great range of people to act on the issue. She is also constantly talking about the issue to schools, at conferences and to the wider media.”

The full article is available at the On Line Opinion website.

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In other Getting Real news, you can now see the latest of Melinda's appearances on Q&A on the ABC website, or read the transcript.

Melinda Tankard Reist was interviewed at Mia Freedman's blog, Mamamia. Melinda talks about her new organisation Collective Shout, designed to be a way in which women can join together to fight sexism in advertising and the media. You can read the full post here.

Melinda Tankard Reist has launched Collective Shout, an organisation to expose corporations and marketers who exploit women and sexualise children to sell their products. Since the launch of Getting Real and her new website, Melinda has been inundated with community support for her advocacy in this area.

Melinda Tankard Reist and Julie Gale, contributors to Getting Real, will be speaking at Barefoot magazine's "Our girls, Our bodies, Our selves" event on Wednesday 24 February at 7.30pm. Jane Hardwicke Collings, independent midwife and workshop facilitator, will also be speaking.

The event will discuss body image and sexualisation for women and girls; pop culture, social pressure and other influences, and related issues like rites of passage and self-worth.

Wednesday 24 February, 7.30pm
Eltham Community and Reception Centre
801 Main Rd, Eltham Victoria 3095 Melways 21 J5
$15/$10 concession, includes a light supper.

RSVP by 18th Feb to Charlotte Young 0417 509 756/9722 2525 or charlotte@barefootmagazine.com.au

Barefoot magazine presents "Our girls, Our bodies, Ourselves", an event exploring girls, women and their bodies. It delves into popular culture, sexualisation, social pressures and negative messages, self worth, true value, action and rites of passage.

Speaking will be Melinda Tankard Reist and Julie Gale, both contributors to Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls, and Jane Hardwicke Collings (independent  midwife and workshop facilitator).
Please note: the content of this evening is aimed at adults. Babes in arms welcome.  

Wednesday 24th February at 7.30pm
$15/$10 concession, includes a light supper.
Eltham Community and Reception Centre, 801 Main Rd, Eltham Victoria 3095 Melways 21 J5 
RSVP by 18th Feb to Charlotte Young 0417 509 756/9722 2525 or charlotte@barefootmagazine.com.au

For more information and to receive the flyer, email anna@barefootmagazine.com.au

Melinda has been quoted in the Courier Mail's article "Sexual message offends as T-shirts labelled 'rape chic'" on the online furore about the "Blood is the new black" t-shirt range from Roger David:

"These T-shirts reinforce the message that girls are there for sexual gratification and sexual amusement. I really think that's a very dangerous and harmful message."

Read all of Melinda's comments, and the full article, at the Courier Mail's website.

NSW Government Whip, Greg Donelley MLC has expressed dismay at Cotton On's ongoing promotion of raunchy baby t-shirts, despite promises to remove them from outlets. Donnelly cited the American Psychological Association's 2007 Task Force Report on the Sexualisation of Girls as clear evidence of the negative impacts on child development of our increasingly pornified society. He went on to highlight Getting Real as a 'status report' on the issue, saying that, 'Australia can be proud that we have some of the world's most outstanding advocates and activists on this most important public policy matter'.

Read more at editor Melinda Tankard Reist's blog.

Melinda Tankard Reist has a new article on the ABC's Unleashed; you can read it here.

Anna Krohn editorialises on Getting Real and 'the nightmares of girl world' at On Line Opinion.

An article on Getting Real, 'Girls gone wild: One woman is trying to say no to our increasingly sexualised culture', was printed in the West Australian on the 11th of November. It features an interview with Melinda and notes that 'the pieces in Getting Real are far from prudish. They pull no punches'. You can find an excerpt from the article with our other Getting Real reviews.

The Hobart Mercury published an article 'Calls for girls to fight ad sexism', coinciding with the Tasmanian launch of Getting Real. It includes Melinda's 'hit list' of brands to boycott:

• Pepsi, for its 'Score Every Hour' advertising campaign for mobile phones, teaching men how to 'score' with various female stereotypes.
• Dove, for its 'Real Beauty' campaign that used airbrushed models, as well as its skin whitening products.
• Lynx for highly sexualised advertising.
• Playboy, for targeting young girls with its products.
• Ms Tankard Reist also urged young girls to stop reading magazines like Dolly, saying they were still sending wrong messages about topics like underage sex.

You can read the whole article here.

A review of Getting Real has been posted on MercatorNet.com.

Melinda Tankard Reist appears in the Hobart Mercury talking about ad sexism.

Check out an edited extract from Getting Real, now online at New Matilda.

Women's Forum Australia is hosting a dinner and dessert during White Ribbon Week to launch Getting Real by Melinda Tankard Reist. The event is open to all Women's Forum Australia members and supporters.

Melinda will be speaking at the launch, and she will be joined by Sophie Mirabella MP, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare, Women & Youth; and Lynne Pezzullo, Director and Chair of Access Economics and winner of the 2008 ACT Telstra Business Woman of the Year award.

7pm, Wednesday 25 November 2009
Holy Grail, cnr Akuna and Bunda Streets, Civic, Canberra
$40pp
RSVP 19 November 2009
Dress code: smart casual

For further information, email the Women's Forum at admin@womensforumaustralia.org, or call 02 6260 5670.

Adproofing Your Kids, by Tania Andrusiak (Getting Real contributor) and Daniel Donahoo, will be launched on Sunday 4 October at 2.30pm at the Eltham Bookshop Courtyard, 970 Main Road,
Eltham, Victoria.

Contact the Eltham Bookshop for more information on 03 9439 8700 or ELTHAMbookshop@bigpond.com.

In response to an article in The Age, Julie Gale writes in a letter to the editor published Sep 18 09:
'No, all is not well. Christine Gordon (Comment & Debate, 17/9) shooting a messenger such as social commentator Melinda Tankard Reist will not help "young women find their own way".
There is little doubt among child development professionals that all is not well in girl world. Yes, many kids are doing well, but many others are struggling.
Research links sexualisation with increased anxiety, depression, eating disorders, early sexual contact and increased sexually transmitted infections.
The rate of self-harm in young females has increased by more than 50 per cent in the past decade. John Marsden may write "wonderful books for young people" but that does not mean he is right when it comes to the sexualisation issue.
Women should support each other in helping our struggling girls (and boys) navigate their way through the sexualised culture we have imposed on them.

Getting Real contributor Lauren Rosewarne's book, Cheating on the Sisterhood is out now. Click here for more information.

Getting Real has been released to great media attention, including a double-page spread in The Weekend Australian Inquirer section and a multitude of radio. Melinda Tankard Reist was a guest on Jon Faine's Conversation Hour, as well as Life Matters -with contributor Louise Newman- plus Sydney 2UE, ABC Southern Qld and ABC Northern Tas, while contributor Julie Gale appeared on RN's Counterpoint.

& look out for Melinda on ABC TV Q&A this Thursday, 9.30pm.

Melbourne University's Cordelia Fine writes about waxing, plucking, tweezing and womanhood: 'Meanwhile the younger generation watches and learns. In Getting Real...Melinda Tankard Reist shows how the relentless pressure on women to be better-than-real is touching the lives of girls at an increasingly young age...She describes a Melbourne-based website for girls that -until complaints were made- promoted Brazilian waxing alongside ads for Playschool and Barbie Princess dolls.'

Read the full story on the Age website.

Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls will be launched at NSW Parliament House on Weds 23 Sept, 6pm as part of a forum on the early sexualisation of children, organised by Greg Donnelly MLC.

To be launched by Melina Marchetta, MC Sophie York and with entertainment by vocalist Evelyn Duprai. Featuring editor Melinda Tankard Reist and contributors Maggie Hamilton and Julie Gale.

Wednesday 23 September, 6pm
Staff Dining Room, NSW Parliament House
Macquarie St, Sydney

rsvp to Spinifex Press, tel 03-9329 6088 or women@spinifexpress.com.au

Getting Real editor, Mellinda Tankard Reist comments on the recent 2Day FM incident at On Line Opinion and The Australian.

Bratz, Britney and Bralettes: the sexualisation of childhood. Monday 3 August 2009.

Speakers are Steve Biddulph, author and family psychologist; Julie Gale, founding director of Kids Free 2B Kids; and Maggie Hamilton, author of What's Happening to Our Girls? The evening will be chaired by Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

Children and Sexualised Media: Risks, reviews and regulation. Tuesday 4 August 2009.

Speakers include Lyn Allison, former senator, key member of Senate Inquiry; Steve Biddulph, family psychologist and author; Julie Gale, Kids Free 2B Kids; Scott McClellan, Australian Association of National Advertisers; Dr Emma Rush, author and academic at Charles Sturt University; and Hon Alistair Nicholson AO, former Chief Justice of the Family Court.

Steve Biddulph, Julie Gale and Dr Emma Rush are all contributors to Spinifex Press's upcoming book Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls .

For further information on the seminars, or to make a booking, visit the Young Media website .