New Moon Girls

Nominate a Beautiful Girl

2009-01-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Each girl has her own inner beauty: the beauty of action, caring, activism. Tell us about the inner beauty of your daughter, granddaughter, niece, neighbor or student and help us to inspire girls everywhere with their own unique inner beauty.

Every year since 2000, the May/June issue of New Moon Girls magazine features 25 girls ages 8-12 who are beautiful inside. Our Girls Editorial Board selects 25 girls (from those who are nominated) who represent many different aspects of inner beauty. Those girls are featured in the magazine. All the other girls who are nominated receive special recognition and are honored at NewMoonGirls.com

Anyone can nominate a girl – her family, someone in the community, another girl. And girls can also nominate themselves! I encourage you to nominate one or more girls by downloading the short form . Then complete the form and email it as an attached document to submissions@newmoongirlmedia.com.

The deadline is midnight Central Standard Time on Monday, January 19, so act today!

Today in History: Wyoming gets its first female governor

2009-01-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls! On this day in 1925, Wyoming elected the state's (and the country's!) first female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross. Nellie became governor after her husband's death, and during her term, she pushed for tax cuts and for laws that would help poor farmers, women, and children. To learn more about this woman's fascinating history -- and 101 year life! -- check out this article on NewMoonGirls.com!

Happy Science Fiction Day!

2009-01-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Science Fiction Day!

January 2nd is Science Fiction Day because January 2, 1920, was science fiction writer Isaac Asimov’s birthday. Isaac Asimov wrote over four hundred works and was best known for his science fiction stories, especially his Foundation series about a science which can be used to predict the future.

Science fiction isn’t all about spaceships and robots, though. Lois Lowry’s popular book, The Giver is an example of a science fiction “dystopia” novel. Dystopias are imaginary societies in which something makes the society dysfunctional. For example, in The Giver, people no longer feel strong emotions; this is supposed to stop suffering, but it also stops people from feeling great joy.

Although science fiction is mostly about the future or imaginary worlds, it often makes a point about the world we live in now. A story about a society where different races live in different cities can shed light on racism in our own time, and a story about a species where everyone is the same gender can get us thinking about gender roles in our society.

To celebrate Science Fiction Day, curl up with a favorite science fiction book—or better yet, check out the great girl-written science fiction stories right here on New Moon Girls, such as Mars by Kristen Reid, Being a Nobody by Emily, and Moon Fairy by Lola. Recommend your favorite science fiction books at the Rants & Raves Shout Out! boards. Upload your own science fiction stories to “your stuff.” And never stop stretching your imagination!

Love,

Luna

P.S. What better time to celebrate Science Fiction Day than at the beginning of a new year? We’re “making a new start” this week and looking toward the future. And we’ll keep talking about the future in the next two weeks with our themes of “The Future” (starting January 3) and “Growing Up” (starting January 10). And don’t forget to check out the current issue of New Moon Girls magazine, with the theme, “What the Future Holds”!

It's Make a New Start Week!

2008-12-29T11:13:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls! It's Make a New Start Week at NewMoonGirls.com. By the end of this week, we'll have welcomed the year 2009! It's the perfect time to make goals for the next year and to think about everything that happened in 2008.

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? What will you always remember about 2008? Leave a comment here or at NewMoonGirls.com to share your thoughts with us!

Joyous Kwanzaa!

2008-12-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of Winter Holidays Week at NewMoonGirls.com, but the first day of the celebration of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a seven-day festival honoring African culture, values, and history. You can learn more from this write-up on NewMoonGirls.com. And if you celebrate Kwanzaa or know some interesting facts about it, stop by to leave a comment here or on the article on NewMoonGirls.com!

New Moon Girls bring hope for the holidays!

2008-12-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls! Today Glam.com, a website for women that has 25.5 million visitors every month, is running an inspirational slide show with quotes from YOU! Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts about the holidays. You can see the slideshow here.

And don't forget that it's Winter Holidays Week at NewMoonGirls.com, featuring YOUR holiday stories and traditions all week!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-22T08:56:00.000-08:00

It's Winter Holidays Week at NewMoonGirls.com, and today we're celebrating the first full day of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrating the Jews' victory against persecution from the Greeks thousands of years ago. You can learn more about this holiday and celebrate with us here.

Happy Hanukkah!

Book Review: The Year The Swallows Came Early by Katherine FitzMaurice.

2008-12-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls! Two of New Moon Girls' Launch Board Members, Pammy and Alexa, got their hands on advance copies of The Year the Swallows Came Early by Katherine FitzMaurice, which will go on sale February 3rd, 2009. Here's what they had to say about it!

Book Review: The Year The Swallows Came Early by Katherine FitzMaurice.

Book Review #1

Groovy Robinson is not fortunate enough to have what she considers a normal life for an 11-year-old. When Groovy watches as her father is taken away in a police car, she is stunned. Later, she is even more astonished when she recalls this scene for her mother, and her mother reveals that she's the one who called the police. As it turns out, Groovy’s dad had stolen $25,000 from a bank account that was left for Groovy by her great-grandmother, Eleanor, after whom she was named. (Groovy is her nickname.) She is utterly devastated: that money was rightfully hers; she even knew what she was going to do with it--go to cooking school.

She begins to make chocolate-covered strawberries to earn the money to make sure her dreams can still become a reality. Eventually Groovy’s dad is put on probation, and he begins to plan how he will be paying her back. This book brings out important concepts and ideas that from which we can learn. We learn the beauty in our dreams and the power of friendship and family. And we understand that women are strong enough to survive hardships, and support themselves and each other.

- Review by Pammy, Launch Board / Luna's Online Board member

Book Review #2

Eleanor Robinison--usually known as Groovy--has a best friend named Frankie, a famous late great-grandmother, a dad who can't seem to hold down a job, and a passion for cooking. A lot changes with all of those things one year--the year the swallows came early, as it's later called. The Year the Swallows Came Early, by Kathryn Fitzmaurice, is a witty tale, narrated by Groovy herself.

Groovy lives in a town where a large group of swallows pass every year. It is the highlight of her small village. Year after year, the swallows come up to the local mission, and many tourists come to see them as well. There's even a local restaurant called the Swallow, which Frankie's stepbrother Luis owns. Groovy helps cook there often and hopes to go to a real culinary school when she's grown. Frankie lives with Luis, as his mother and stepfather left for a short "trip" many years ago. Groovy is very close to her father, who gave her her nickname when she was a toddler. She lives with her father and mother, who don't really get along. He mother works in a hair salon and lives by her horoscope.

As the story begins, Groovy is out with her father, when he is taken away by a police car, and Groovy doesn't know why. That question is answered, but many others are also formed. Groovy learns that her great-grandmother (who she was named for) was a very famous science fiction writer. There are many exciting plot twists that keep the story moving. Groovy, Frankie, and some new friends embark on a quest to find out the truth about who a person really is, both together and by themselves.

The Year the Swallows Came Early is a clever, sweet story with many metaphors and relations to family today. I recommend it to anyone, particularly girls ages 9 to 13.

- Review by Alexa, Launch Board / Luna's Online Board member

You can read more about the authors on the Spotlight page at NewMoonGirls.com.

Holiday Thoughts from Girls

2008-12-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

Recently, some of the editors at glam.com, a website for women, visited NewMoonGirls.com and were impressed by what girls had to say about the holidays. They said they'd love to run a short piece on their site about girls "thoughts about the holiday season," and I invite you to share your thoughts with them if you'd like. It's a great way to let more people know what girls REALLY think.

Some questions to get you started: what winter holiday do you celebrate? What about this holiday is meaningful to you? What are some of the special things about the holidays that can't be bought? If you could ask for ANYTHING this year (like an end to hunger, peace on earth, etc.), what would you ask for? The TV commercials would have us believing this time of year is about "buy buy buy!", but what does it mean to you?

If you're interested in sending a response, please leave a comment on this post, along with your age. Thanks!

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

2008-12-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls! Today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day. Go ahead and indulge today by adding chocolate to your normal snack foods--you can dip pretzels, crackers, or fruit in melted chocolate or chocolate sauce. For those of you health nuts, dark chocolate has even been shown to have health benefits such as antioxidants.

Leave a comment over at NewMoonGirls.com with what your favorite chocolate-covered treats are and get ideas for new combinations from other girls.

Caroline Kennedy: Future New York Senator?

2008-12-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

It was announced today that Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former president John F. Kennedy, is hoping to fill the New York Senate seat left vacant by Hilary Clinton. A native New Yorker and democrat, she has previously worked for the New York City Department of Education and is currently the Vice Chair of The Fund for Public Schools, a non-profit that raises money for New York City schools. Her uncle, Robert Kennedy, filled the Senate seat for New York in the 1960s.

What do you girls think about Ms. Kennedy's bid for Senator? Do you think that her family's history in politics will play a large part in whether or not she is chosen for the position? Give your opinion on The Great Debate board over at NewMoonGirls.com!

UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights

2008-12-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

It's Human Rights Week! The UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights is the highest human rights prize awarded by the UN and is handed out every five years. This year, the prize was awarded to 7 people, with 4 of the recipients named being women.

Louise Arbour
Ms. Arbour is the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a former justice for the Canadian Supreme Court, and former Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda.

Dr. Carolyn Gomes
Ms. Gomes is a medical doctor and co-founder and executive director of the activist organization Jamaicans for Justice.

Sister Dorothy Stang

Dorothy Stang was a nun who spent her life working for equality in Brazil and the Amazon region. Besides working with the poor people living in those regions, she also supported environmental stewardship. She was killed in 2005 by people who opposed her views

Benazir Bhutto
Ms. Bhutto was a Pakistani politician who died earlier this year. She was the first, and currently only, woman to hold the position of prime minister in Pakistan.

What extraordinary woman have had an impact in your life? Visit NewMoonGirls.com this week to read more about Human Rights.

Today is Human Rights Day!

2008-12-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

December 10 is Human Rights Day, and it's Human Rights Week at NewMoonGirls.com!

Human Rights are fundamental rights to which every human being is entitled. These rights are meant to let people live happy and safe lives. Here is a video produced by the Youth for Human Rights Campaign:

Worldwide, many people's basic Human Rights are often compromised. Today, check out the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Know what your rights are as a human, and speak up whenever you see any other person' rights being compromised.

Check out the Spotlight Hub at NewMoonGirls.com this week to read more Human Rights and what girls like you are doing to protect them!

Earth Day Photography Competition!

2008-12-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

NewMoonGirls.com Earth Day Photography Competition!

Do you recycle? Compost? If you're involved with environmental activism in your community and enjoy taking pictures, enter the Earth Day Photography Contest!

Earth Day is on April 22, but NMG.com is planning ahead. Submit your own photos of environmental activism, and we'll post them on NewMoonGirls.com. A few might even get published in New Moon Girls Magazine!

You can read all of the rules as well as how to submit your photos here at NMG.com. Also, discuss ways to improve the environment with other girls at the "I'm the Change" message board at NMG.com.

Vote for NewMoonGirls.com!

2008-12-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

NewMoonGirls.com needs your support! Click the above banner to nominate NMG.com for The Crunchies 2008 Awards.

Saving Money

2008-12-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

It's Money Week at NewMoonGirls.com! Personal finance management is an important topic to think about, especially since women have traditionally had a more difficult being financially independent from men. It's important to develop good saving habits and strategies early on in your life, so that you can be financially secure later on! Here are a few tips for saving and spending:

1. Keep track of where your money comes from, and also where it's going. Each time you are about to make a purchase, ask yourself if it's something that you really need or want.

2. Make saving money a priority. Every time you get an allowance or receive money from a relative for a holiday or birthday, choose to save a percentage of the total amount (such as half) and put it aside.

3. Open up a savings account. Many banks offer free accounts for students and kids under the age of 18. Having an account allows you to track your money, as well as earn interest on the money you put in. Also, this will put you on the track to developing financial independence!

How do you girls manage your own spending? Do you have any strategies for saving or avoiding impulse purchases? Post your money saving tips on the "How To" shout-out board at NewMoonGirls.com!

Vote for a former New Moon reader!

2008-12-02T14:38:00.000-08:00

Hi girls, my name is Jenny Chen and I am 17 years old. When I was younger, I was a New Moon reader, just like you! I was inspired by the magazine to do something about the youth apathy and rising cases of teen depression in my community. I started a children's magazine called JJ Express with my brother that showcases comics and cartoons illustrated by artists around the world to inspire youth to build a movement that creates lasting change in the global community.

We received a $1,000 grant from Youth Venture to publish the magazine and got help and advice from New Moon staff. Since then we've published 3 issues and are working on our 4th issue. We've worked with artists of all ages and skills, from all around the world from Brazil to Ireland! We've received letters from kids all over. It's just been an amazing experience.

JJ Express Magazine is now one of the finalists for the Best Buy @15 Competition and if we win, our project will receive $10,000 funding to expand our project. We are so excited for this opportunity to spread our message and put the magazine in the hands of more youths. But to win, we need your votes. Vote today and everyday and you'll also get a chance to win an iPod shuffle from Youth Venture.

To vote, go to www.genv.net/bestbuy or text BBYV13 to 32075. Want to learn more about JJ Express Magazine? Go to jjexpressmagazine.org.

Thank you New Moon Girls and keep dreaming big!

World AIDS Day

2008-12-01T15:06:00.000-08:00

December 1st is World AIDS Day. AIDS is caused by the HIV virus and affects millions of people worldwide. Although currently there is no cure, developments in medicine have resulted in longer life-spans and a higher quality of life for those who are infected with the disease.

Show your support for AIDS research and help raise awareness of this worldwide health problem by wearing a Red Ribbon.

You can read more about the causes of HIV and AIDS at NewMoonGirls.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

How does your family celebrate today? Do you have any unique traditions?

Visit the Arts and Culture Message Board at NewMoonGirls.com to discuss what people and things you're thankful for in your life!

Stop Violence Against Women Day

2008-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Stop Violence Against Women Day. Worldwide, 1 in 3 women will experience some sort of abuse in her lifetime. Abuse, physical or emotional, often comes from someone the victim already knows.

The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) is an effort by the US to decrease abuse against women worldwide. You can watch an informative video clip about violence against woman below, produced by Amnesty International.

Read more about the International Violence Against Women Act at the Amnesty International Website, or check out the "Safe Schools: Every Girls' Right" comic. You can also visit the Stop Violence Against Women Day Spotlight feature at NewMoonGirls.com.

Stereotypical costumes?

2008-11-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving only a couple of days away, you may be learning about the history behind this annual holiday in your classroom. However, the holiday has sparked some controversy in the California city of Claremont.

A LA Times article today discusses the current divide in opinion present in one school district over a yearly tradition in Kindergarten classrooms. Each year, kids have created and dressed up in costumes depicting Pilgrims and Indians, and gotten together to reenact the first Thanksgiving. Some residents of the city have expressed outrage about the costumes, viewing them as a racist stereotype of Native American heritage.

What do you think? Should the school district allow the children to wear the costumes? Should the stereotypes that the costumes represent be discussed with the children? Do you think that it's possible for the children to dress up as Native Americans without being stereotypical or offensive?

Discuss this issue over at The Great Debate discussion board at NewMoonGirls.com.

Volunteering

2008-11-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

It's Thanks and Remembrance Week at NewMoonGirls.com! There are many different ways to give thanks this week. Giving back to your community is just one way to show your appreciation and help out those in need.

Some organizations require that you be 18 years or older to volunteer, but there are many places that welcome help from younger people and families. You can search out volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood and pick a cause or organization that interests you. Some good places to look are your local library, a soup kitchen, and nursing homes.

Do you already volunteer in your community? If so, what do you do and how did you become involved? What ideas do you have for giving back? Talk about it on the Changing the World discussion board at NewMoonGirls.com (sign-in required).

Youth Internet Usage

2008-11-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

You've heard about the possible negative consequences of spending too much time watching TV, but what about all of those hours spent in front of a computer?

According to a New York Times article, the time that adolescents spend socializing on the computer and using new media may actually be time well spent. By interacting online and learning how to use new technologies, you are learning skills which are likely to be valuable down the road and help you to succeed.

How much time do you spend online each day? How involved are you in new media, such as watching or making your own videos and blogging? Do you think that there's a point when Internet usage could become problematic? Discuss the impact that new media has on society over at the Arts and Culture discussion board at NewMoonGirls.com!

Loriene Roy

2008-11-19T19:51:00.001-08:00

It's Native Peoples week at NewMoonGirls.com!

Loriene Roy is a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, as well as the current president of the American Library Association. Hoping to increase literacy among indigenous children, she has started and overseen a number of educational initiatives, including the national book reading club "If I can read, I can do anything."

You can watch part of the of a celebration in her honor which took place at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. The video clip shows a native Honor Dance and a short speech given by Loriene.

You can check out Loriene's blog here. Also be sure to check out the Spotlight hub at NMG.com this week to read writing that has been submitted by other girls about Native cultures.

Susan La Flesche Picotte

2008-11-18T17:00:00.000-08:00

It's Native Peoples week at NewMoonGirls.com! Visit NMG.com this week to read about several other outstanding native woman.

Susan La Flesche Picotte was the first Native American female physician. She was born in 1865 into the Omaha tribe in Nebraska. The daughter of a chief who stressed the importance of education, she received her schooling through homeschooling and an all-girls school in New Jersey. She later graduated from the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, making her the Native American woman to earn a medical degree, as well as the first person in America to receive federal aid for education.

After receiving her degree, she worked on her tribes reservation as a doctor. On the reservation, she was confronted with the challenges that the changing lifestyles associated with American culture had on her tribe. She also spent her life studying health and bringing knowledge back to her tribe.

She died when she was 50 years old, in 1915. Two years before her death, she opened a hospital which now stands as the Susan La Flesche Picotte Center, celebrating her life work as a doctor.

American Indian Heritage Month

2008-11-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

November is American Indian Heritage Month, and we're celebrating "Native Peoples" Week at NewMoonGirls.com!

What do you think of when you hear the term "American Indian?" Maybe you imagine someone who wears feathers and lives in a Tipi. Unfortunately, the word "Indian" often brings to mind a stereotypical image for many people. In fact, there are many unique Native cultures and tribes in America which all have their own characteristics and customs. For example, not all Indians live in Tipis (these were used by the Indians of the Great Plains). In our media culture, Indians are often stereotypically portrayed as violent, savage, and exotic. In contrast to this portrayal of Indians, Americans of European descent appear dignified and civilized.

This theme of Indians being violent and relentless is prevalent in professional sporting teams as well. Take for example baseball team the Cleveland Indians and football team the Washington Redskins. Many people oppose the use of these names and the team mascots for being racist.

What do you think about how you've seen American Indians portrayed in media? Do you think that pressure should be put on these professional sporting teams to modify their names or mascots? What implications do you think these portrayals have for those people who identify with a Native culture?

Join the discussion about this issue over at the Spotlight board at NewMoonGirls.com (sign-in required).

Guest Post: Beauty

2008-11-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

It's Pride and Predjudice week at NewMoonGirls.com!Beauty is on the inside as WELL as on the outside, and it's important to recognize that beauty isn't always what society defines it to be. Gabrielle of blog/webzine Innovative wrote the following post on the idea of beauty.

You do not have to be a certain shape to be beautiful.
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You do not have to be beautiful.
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Those two sentences have taken the longest time to sink into my head. I've always been a reader and writer who hates sports, meaning I spent (and spend) a lot of time on the couch. I was a chubby kid and a chubby tween in a city where everyone was thin. Consequence? I dieted constantly and hated how I looked.
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Scratch that. I was never comfortable with my weight, not comfortable with how I looked in shopping room mirrors or how I moved. I couldn't get it right.
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Body image is something we struggle with constantly and I can't offer an end-all solution. I wish I could. But there are a few things that have helped me, as a senior in high school, appreciate what healthy body image can do and accept the way I look. See if this makes sense.

Think about images. Part of my problem was the images I saw in my halls and in magazines. There is this definition of beauty that I saw, with few alternatives. But look at pictures of gorgeous "plus-size" models in gorgeous clothes-look at them-my brain tells me, they're beautiful too.
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Say yes to your mirror. Something I try to do is look in the mirror and stop criticizing. Look and say, this is what I look like and be okay with it. My body gets me places: it takes me to school, lets me breathe, helps me dance, shows off fabulous outfits.
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Health is good. If you eat bad and feel bad, change how you eat and change how you feel. Unless you have a serious health problem and are on doctors' orders, you girls should not be on diets. Recognize that caring for your health and trying to fit in with a certain stereotype (and yes, it is a stereotype) are way different. Eat fruits and veggies not to change shape, but because it will give you more energy and it's good for your thumper. Drink herbal tea. Take dance lessons. Dress for your shape. It's fun.

Club Libby Lu Closed

2008-11-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls. Did you hear that Club Libby Lu is closing its doors in May? Club Libby Lu was a retail store where girls ages 6 - 12 could have parties and get "makeovers" with various themes, such as rock star or princess. There were a LOT of pink dresses and glitter makeup involved.

Some people criticized Club Libby Lu because it encouraged girls as young as 6 to focus on being "pretty," and it stressed that girls could "be their unique selves," through shopping. It played to a lot of stereotypes about girls being delicate and obsessed with their looks and shopping. At first, I wondered whether Club Libby Lu was losing business because of this criticism, and whether that was why it was closing. But Saks 5th Avenue, the company that owns Club Libby Lu, says the reason for the closing was that Club Libby Lu didn't fit with the "direction" they'd like to take with Saks 5th Avenue (whatever that means).

So, what do you think? Have you ever had a makeover party at Club Libby Lu? Is it harmless fun, or does it add to girls feeling like they have to look perfect? Will you miss Club Libby Lu, or are you among those saying, "Good Riddance!" I'd love to hear from you!

Lacey, adult editor

Join in the discussion about this topic on the message boards at NewMoonGirls.com! (Sign-in is required to participate and view).

New Moon Girls Wins Three Awards

2008-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

New Moon Girls was recently awarded three Minnesota Magazine and Publishing Association (MMPA) awards! Girls Web Editorial Board member Holly (pictured) was there to accept the awards on behalf of New Moon Girl Media.

NMG received "Gold" awards in three different categories:

Overall Excellence
Best Regular Column (Body Language)
Best Single-Topic Issue (25 Beautiful Girls: Toot Your Own Horn)

You can read a full account of this event at NewMoonGirls.com/

Official launch of NewMoonGirls.com!

2008-11-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

NewMoonGirls.com Official Launch!

Today marks the official of the newmoongirls.com online community! After sixteen years of publishing the award-winning New Moon Girls magazine, we’re proud to bring the “New Moon experience” of self-discovery, creativity, and community, to girls 24/7.

You can read more about the launch of NMG.com on the website, or check out NMGM founder Nancy Gruver's blog about the launch and other media issues affecting young girls.

To start taking advantage of everything NMG.com has to offer, you will have to register for an account.

See you there!

TeenSpace Retreat

2008-11-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

Our lives this time each year can get especially busy, and it can be easy to forget to take off to concentrate on ourselves. However, it's important to dedicate time each day to relax and do something you enjoy, such as yoga, reading, or writing in a journal.

The TeenSpace retreat for teens and parents is taking place Saturday, January 31st (2009) from 8:30– 4:30 in Sedona, Arizona. At the retreat, teens and and adults will explore how to be more self-aware and live life with more self-care and make better choices for themselves and the world around them.

Facilitators of the event will include author Debra Beck, yoga teacher Maura Mark, and meditation instructor Sarah McLean. You can visit http://teenspacesedona.eventbrite.com for more information about the event and how to register.

Real Beauty

2008-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

It's Pride and Prejudice Week at NewMoonGirls.com, and this week we're celebrating the differences that make you proud to be YOU!

The Dove "Campaign for Real Beauty" is one of my favorite ad campaigns. We are constantly presented with media-created images that influence our perception and expectations of what physical beauty is. Watch one of Dove's commercials below, titled "evolution," which shows the creation of a beauty advertisement from start to finish. You can see for yourself how many advertisements are the result of stylists and computer editing.

Have you seen any of the other Dove "Real Beauty" commercials? What do you think about this campaign? Do you think that the commercial above is effective at communicating the editing involved with creating the advertisements we see in magazines and billboards?

ASYMCA Essay and Art Contest

2008-11-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

November is Military Family Month!

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) launched their annual essay and art contest this month and all children of U.S. active duty, National Guard or Reserves are invited to enter. If eligible, you're encouraged to write an essay about your military hero or illustrate your military family. Winners will receive a U.S. Savings Bond and the winning artwork and essays will also be displayed around the country.

The deadline for the art contest is February 20, 2009 and the deadline for the essay contest is March 20, 2009. Visit Asymca.org for entry forms and for more information about Military Family Month.

Election Results!

2008-11-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that the 2008 election season is over! Barack Obama was the clear winner of yesterday's election with 349 electoral votes, making him the 44nd president of the United States.

I thought Obama's victory speech was incredible, but I was almost more interested in McCain's speech. After realizing he had lost the election last night, John McCain gave a concession speech in Arizona to a dismayed and booing crowd. The crowd booed at points while he was talking, such as when he stated that he had called and congratulated Obama prior to the speech. However, McCain remained poised throughout his speech and was graceful in discussing his loss. You can watch his concession speech below:

What are your thoughts on the election? Did you watch either Obama's or McCain's speech on television last night? How do you think McCain handled losing the election?

The election may be over, but it's still election week at NewMoonGirls.com! The election may be over, but you can still cast YOUR vote in our Mock Election.

Election Day!

2008-11-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

It's Election Day! Be sure to head on over to NewMoonGirls.com and cast your vote in our mock election!

Vote for our Kids

2008-11-04T05:46:00.000-08:00

It's Election Day - finally!

As I drive voters to the polls today I'll be thinking about how important this election is to our children. Whether they are still infants or they're already tax-paying adults like my daughters, this election will have a huge impact on their lives.

With our nation's deep economic and environmental woes, no matter who is elected, we're facing a time when Americans will all need to step up and defer some of our "wants" to make sure all of us get what we truly need. Luckily for parents, sacrificing our wants for our childrens' needs is something we already have some practice at! The part that will be different is how we define what our children truly need (as opposed to what they want).

One other thing on my mind is that whichever ticket wins today, there will be girls living in the White House or the VP's residence. That's exciting and will engage many kids in following what happens in national politics. It's already been wonderful in the campaign to see the genuine and expectant faces of Malia, Piper, Sasha & Willow as they accompany their parents at some appearances.

For me it's a reminder of the hopes of our children and the ways we as parents are responsible to their hopes.

I hope you all are voting today for our kids.

How do YOU vote?

2008-11-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

It's election week! While you have to be eighteen years old to have your vote count officially in the United States, NewMoonGirls.com and many schools are holding mock elections this week!

However, many people question the purpose of these mock elections. Do kids, especially those who are younger, really understand the issues on which they are pretending to vote? With less information about the policies, it's easy to end up voting for the same candidate as your parents. While this emulation is often criticised, it makes sense--you vote based on your own personal values, which are often passed along and taught by your family.

Do you think that you will grow up to vote like your parents? What about if your parents vote for different parties? What can be done to help kids become independent and thoughtful voters?

You can read more about and discuss this issue here at NewMoonGirls.com. Also visit NewMoonGirls.com this week to read about the different political parties and have your voice heard in our unofficial election.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! We've been celebrating Things that Go Bump in the Night all week at NewMoonGirls.com. Hopefully you have enjoyed celebrating the fall season this past month. If you celebrate Halloween or plan to go trick-or-treating tonight, we hope that you have a safe, fun AND healthy time.

According to this article, Halloween doesn't even have to necessarily be an unhealthy holiday in terms of consuming sweets. According to dentist Dr. Mark Helprin, how often you consume candy is more important than how much you consume. You're much less likely to develop cavities if you eat candy at mealtimes, for example, because of acid created by your mouth when you eat.

For those of you who go trick-or-treating, do you or your parents set any limits on your candy consumption?

Flu Shot

2008-10-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Do you girls hate getting shots? I know that I do. I just read that the University of Minnesota attempted to set a record for flu shots given in a day at their St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses this past Tuesday--they gave around 11,538 shots in nine hours!

While getting a shot isn't a fun activity, it's better than getting sick later on. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children older than 6 months of age up to nineteen get a flu vaccination each year, since the flu virus is constantly changing.

Does your school promote getting the flu vaccine? What factors or fears do you think stop people from getting vaccinated, knowing the benefits? Visit the Body & Feelings discussion boards at NewMoonGirls.com to talk about this issue and others. (You'll need a NewMoonGirls login to participate).

Video the Vote!

2008-10-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Election day is just one week away! With McCain and Obama running such a close race, either candidate could potentially get elected.

Voting issues and problems at the polls from the last election are still fresh on everyone's minds. Video website Video the Vote is dedicated to monitoring and protecting the process of voting. Through its website, the organization encourages ordinary citizens to document voting problems in their own communities and to upload their own videos on the site. Video the Vote works closely with their partner sites such as PBS, YouTube, and Rock the Vote, to distribute the videos across the net.

Many of you may not be old enough to vote yet, but this is a great opportunity to still get involved with the election and politics, as well as join in on an initiative that helps to protect your right to have your vote-and voice-heard in the future! If any of you create your own videos, send them in to gweb@newmoon.org and we'll feature them here on the New Moon Girls blog as well! Need inspiration? You can watch the Video the Vote trailer below:

Halloween or Fall Festival?

2008-10-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

The spookiest holiday of the year is coming up this Friday, and we're celebrating Halloween all week at NewMoonGirls.com!

Does your school or community celebrate Halloween--or is Halloween replaced by an alternatively named Fall Festival? With both Christian and Pagan roots, Halloween is considered by some people to be a controversial holiday because of its negative links to characters such as witches and ghosts. However to most kids, Halloween simply means a chance to dress up as one of their favorite characters and eat more candy than usual.

What do you think about Halloween as a holiday? Should schools not be allowed to host Halloween events because the holiday's historical background has the possibility to offend? Visit the Spotlight Hub at NewMoonGirls.com and discuss this and other issues on the Spotlight message board.

Gender and Language

2008-10-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

You may not even realize it, but many common phrases and elements of the English language have sexist and gender-role implications. The use of sexism in our language is subtle and unintentional, but is deeply rooted in our culture.

An organization of 100 journalists in Argentina set out to create a list of rules to decrease usage of sexist language when gender-based crimes are covered in the news. The Argentine Network of Journalists for Non-Sexist Communication, the group responsible for creating the document, plans to publicly release their list of ten suggestions on November 25. This is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

What do you girls think about sexism and American language? Head on over to The Great Debate message board at New Moon Girls.com. You must be logged in to visit, but if you don't have a membership you can go here to sign up!

Woman leads Muslim Prayer in Britain

2008-10-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Feminist blogger Fatemah Fakhraie posted an entry yesterday on the Religion Dispatches blog about the first woman to lead a mixed-gender congregation in Muslim prayer in Britain.

It was the second time Dr. Amina Wadud had lead a Muslim prayer (the first being in NYC). Many Muslims protested this second sermon, believing that Islamic law doesn't allow for women such as Dr. Wadud to lead prayer.

You can read Fakhraie's commentary on this event here. Fatemah Fakhraie also runs Muslimah Media Watch, a blog that discusses how Muslim women are portrayed in the media.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

2008-10-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's politics week at newmoongirls.com! Women have started to be powerful political players this election, with Hilary Clinton nearly gaining the Democratic presidential nomination and Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential candidate. As the only female currently on the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is another example of a powerful woman in politics.

Ruth is the second woman to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in the country, made up of a Chief Justice and eight justices, all who are appointed by the President. Once appointed onto the Supreme Court, the justices serve life terms. They are only removed from their position by extreme situations such as death, or if they choose to retire or resign.

Ruth attended Cornell University for college, and then attended Harvard Law School. She transferred to and received a law degree at the Columbia Law School, where she later became the first tenured female professor. An influential voice of the Women's Movement, she has been involved with several initiatives to advance women's rights and reduce gender bias during her career. She founded the Women's Rights Law Reporter, which was the first law journal to focus exclusively on public policy in relation to women's rights. She also wrote a law school case book on sex discrimination and served as the chief litigator for the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) women's rights projects. President Bill Clinton appointed Ruth to be a justice on the Supreme Court in 1993, where she has served for the past 15 years.

Check out newmoongirls .com this week to watch an interview with a female news journalist and read a girl's account of the Democratic National Convention. You can also read what qualities all of YOU want in a president and what questions YOU would ask the presidential candidates!

A private high school that focuses on character-building

2008-10-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Although the Wall Street crisis is still on everyone's minds, there is still a young generation of kids who are hoping to eventually land jobs that will make rich at any cost. One private high school offers a solution to the cheating-fueled climate that's present in our society by teaching kids integrity and building positive character.

Hyde School, a private high school located in Maine, operates with an "Attitude over Aptitude" policy. With so much emphasis usually placed on how well a student performs academically, the school wants to redirect more focus on building ethical responsibility as well. The school hopes to inspire students to take risks with choosing courses that interest them, to become leaders, and to be concerned and involved with their peers around them.

What do you girls think about the educational culture in America? Do you think that students are more interested in getting a good grade than they are with the process of learning? Do you think that people learn to cheat at an early age in environments like schools?

Hawaii Ends Universal Child Health Care Program

2008-10-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

It's politics week at newmoongirls.com! We're only weeks away from electing our next president. Each candidate has been discussing their views on a variety of controversial issues, and the subject of health care in the U.S. is just one of them.

Although it does sponsor some health care programs, the U.S. government is one of the only western countries that doesn't offer its citizens universal health care. Universal health care offers health coverage to ALL citizens in a government, although often at the cost of higher taxes. Many Americans live without health care and can face high medical costs.

Until recently, the state of Hawaii offered universal child health care for its young residents. According to an article published by the Associated Press, the state dropped the plan less than a year after it was launched due to budget concerns and wealthier families taking advantage of the state's program.

What are your thoughts about health care? Should the U.S. follow the lead of other countries and offer universal health care, even if it would require a raise in taxes?

Bottled water: what are you drinking?

2008-10-17T08:37:00.001-07:00

Many people buy bottled water thinking that it's better or healthier than tap water. But did you know that about 45% of bottled water comes from the same place as the water that comes out of your faucet? Just how pure is bottled water anyways?

According to an article, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group tested different brands of bottled water and found the presence of multiple contaminants. One contaminant was present in a few of the brands tested in quantities that exceeded standards for one U.S. state. Although not necessarily representing a safety risk, the group is currently pushing for the FDA to require bottled water companies to list contaminants on their labels.

Do you prefer to drink bottled water over water from the faucet? Do you think that companies should be required to list contaminants on bottled water? What strategies do water bottle manufacturers use to make you think that drinking bottled water is better than drinking tap water?

Dr. Temple Grandin

2008-10-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

It's Differing Abilities Week at NewMoonGirls.com. This week, we're recognizing the unique and different abilities that people live with. Despite setbacks, many of these people are able to accomplish great successes in their lifetimes. Dr. Temple Grandin is an example of a woman who was able to apply her autism to provide an insight into how animals experience the world.

Dr. Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, and didn't begin learning how to talk until the age of four. Although she had a difficult time in grade school socially, she went on to graduate from college and received a p.h.D in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Grandin is the author of several books, designs livestock facilities, and is an advocate for animal welfare. She believes that her autism allows her to have a unique understanding of animal behavior and also greater empathy for how they perceive the world. While our society often views animals as property, she believes that that they still deserve to be treated ethically. Through her work designing livestock facilities, she creates animal-handling equipment that is more humane and thoughtful.

As an advocate for autism, she believes that early intervention as well as supportive teachers are important in leading autistic children on positive life paths.

Visit NewMoonGirls.com this week to read more about women who live with differing abilities.

Photo copyright Joshua Nathaniel Pritikin and William Lawrence Jarrold

Get Outdoors, It's Yours

2008-10-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in Baltimore numerous organizations pledged their support for a new national campaign that hopes to encourage youth to get outside.

"Get Outdoors, It's Yours" is a national campaign developed by the Departments of the Interior, Army, and Agriculture. Once a staple of childhood, playing outdoors has been replaced by computer and television in recent years as a source of entertainment. The campaign was designed to encourage young people to get outdoors and appreciate the opportunities that nature offers.

From biking to hiking to fishing, there are countless activities that you can participate in outdoors. Visit the campaign's web page to read more about the campaign and learn about a few of the numerous activities that you can engage in outside and in nature.

How much time do you spend indoors compared to the time you spend outdoors? What are some of your favorite activities to do outside?

Differing Abilities Week

2008-10-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

October is National Disability Awareness Month, and it's Differing Abilities Week at NewMoonGirls.com! Today we're profiling a woman who was both deaf and blind, but was still able to lead an accomplished life despite these obstacles.

Helen Keller was born in 1880 in Alabama. At nineteen months of age, she contracted an illness which left her both deaf and blind. Because of her condition, she was unable to communicate with other people.

When she was seven years old, her parents hired Anne Sullivan to be her tutor. Anne was able to teach Helen how to hand spell and read. Helen went on to graduate from Radcliffe College, making her the first deaf and blind person to graduate from college.

She spent her life working as both a writer and political activist. She supported many progressive causes, including women's right to vote and socialism. As an advocate for the visually impaired and deaf, she developed support programs for people living with disabilities and travelled the world giving speeches about her own experiences. At the age of 22, she published her autobiography The Story of My Life. She wrote a total of over twelve books during her life!

Read about other extraordinary girls who live with unique challenges this week at NewMoonGirls.com.

Profile: Marie Collins

2008-10-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

It's space and astronomy week at NewMoonGirls.com!

As the first female to pilot a space shuttle, female astronaut and pilot Marie Eileen Collins is an example of a woman who achieved her dreams despite childhood obstacles. Born in upstate New York, her family often struggled to make ends meet while she was growing up. Inspired by early woman pilots such as Amelia Earhart inspired her, she dreamed of one day becoming a pilot herself.

After completing high school she attended and put herself through a local community college and then graduated from Syracuse University with an undergraduate degree. After graduation, she entered training to become an Air Force pilot. Like fellow astronaut Sally Ride (who we featured earlier this week!), she later earned a graduate degree from Stanford University.

Marie has travelled to space four times during her career at NASA. She became the first female pilot in 1995 aboard shuttle STS-63 and on a later mission aboard STS-93 she became the first female commander of a space flight. Her most recent and last trip into space was in 2005. She retired from NASA in 2006.

Marie has received a long list of awards for her accomplishments from the U.S. Military and NASA. She was also awarded the French Legion of Honor and has been inducted into the women's hall of fame.

This week, check out stargazing tips, read stories written by other girls, and articles about other women who have worked with NASA at newmoongirls.com.

Female medical students less confident than male students

2008-10-08T13:25:00.001-07:00

According to a recent study, female medical students tend to be less confident and more anxious than male students of equal education when interacting with patients. The male students also tended to over estimate their own competency, while the women underestimated their competency. The study also found that the females appeared less confident to the patients they were treating, and that the male students better identified with the role of being a doctor than the female students after graduating.

Why do you girls think this gender difference might exist? What are some reasons you think the female students might feel less confident than the men? Do you think that gender expectations influence how medical students think they might be perceived by their own patients? Do you think there's more pressure (self or external) on female medical students to live up to expectations because of their gender?

Radical Women Conference

2008-10-07T11:29:00.001-07:00

Feminist organization Radical Women, based in the California Bay Area, hosted their 41st annual conference this past weekend. The theme of this year's conference, which took place at the historic Women's Building in the Mission district of San Francisco, was "the Persistent Power of Socialist Feminism."

We interviewed Marit Knutson, a former New Moon reader who works with Radical Women. Read on to learn more about the organization and conference.

New Moon: How did you get involved in this organization?
Marit: I was familiar with Radical Women since in my hometown, Seattle, there is a very large and active branch. However when I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, I met up with organizers at the branch in San Francisco and found it to be the perfect place to organize around many, many issues of concern for me. There was something empowering and special about an women-led, women-organized group. For the last two years, I've been organizing and learning leadership skills and it's been AMAZING!

What is the background on the conference and what is its mission?
The conference is 41 years in the making - Radical Women came out of the 1960s student movement and has lasted throughout the decades. We are very proud to be hosting the conference, titled "The Persistent Power of Socialist Feminism," in San Francisco, at the historic Women's Building. The building is completely covered in a beautiful mural of historical freedom fighters and feminists. We hope that after the conference, women and men will leave feeling prepared to build a strong feminist movement, that has young women of color in the leadership.

What issues does the conference discuss?
We will be talking about a lot of issues, and are delighted to have international feminists from China, Australia, Costa Rica, Israel, as well as Lynne Stewart, who is an activist lawyer. Mainly we'll be looking at women's leadership, how to organize across racial and ethnic lines, organizing around reproductive rights issues, discussing the election, how to stop the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, how to help support immigrant communities as they are under increasing attack, struggles around gender and sexuality, and much much more!

Do you have any advice for young New Moon readers?
The world is a little chaotic so it's important for young girls to be involved in shaping their futures, by keeping plugged in to what's happening. Also, keep reading New Moon. It was an extremely empowering tool for me when I was 10 years old, up until I was a teen! I felt like I was part of something big. As girls turning into young women, we have a lot of challenges in front of us, with sexism and racism, people telling us what we can or can't do with our lives, others trying to tell us what sort of jobs we SHOULD have. But ladies, we CAN do anything! I encourage all of you to learn more about feminism and its impact on the lives of your mothers and grandmothers. We have all benefited from its gains, and we still have a lot of work to do!

Do you have any advice for girls who want to become more involved with feminist issues?
Consider finding some books about strong women who really rocked! For example, Girls Who Rocked the World : Heroines from Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes by Amelie Welden (Author), Jerry McCann (Illustrator). Or girls know best By Michelle Roehm, which has a few volumes now. These books help us realize, just like New Moon, that we have a lot of work to do together, working together and sharing stories, but also organizing so that we can band together and fight back if we need to. Also please check out Radical Women's website, www.radicalwomen.org ! We have a lot of articles and resources available for use.

Profile: Sally Kristen Ride

2008-10-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

It's Space and Astronomy week at newmoongirls.com!

Today we're profiling an outstanding woman in science and technology, Sally Kristen Ride. In 1983, Sally became both the first American woman and the youngest American to travel into space.

Born and raised in California, Sally went on to complete all of her education in-state. After high school, she briefly attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania but graduated from Stanford University with degrees in English and Physics. She continued on to receive her PhD in physics from Stanford as well.

Sally joined NASA in 1978. She traveled as a crew member aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger for STS-7 in June of 1983, and rode into space again in 1984. During her years at NASA, she worked on numerous projects and also founded NASA's Office of Exploration. She has been inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame as well as the Astronaut Hall of Fame for her many accomplishments and contributions to science.

Currently retired, she founded and is the president of the Sally Ride Science program which she designed to encourage and empower young girls who are interested in science, math, and technology.

Harley dealer sued for gender bias

2008-10-03T08:49:00.001-07:00

According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Harley-Davidson dealer Dudley Perkins Co was recently sued by one of their former employees for gender discrimination. Female mechanic Bowen Dean had dreamt of being a motorcycle mechanic since a young age, and after completing a year long mechanic training course got hired by the dealer as an entry-level technician.

However, instead of working as a mechanic, Dean was assigned to tasks such as book keeping and customer service. The dealership proceeded to hire two less-qualified men to work as mechanics at the company. Dean filed a discrimination complaint in response, which prompted the company to fire her. Although she has applied for mechanic positions at other Harvey-Davidson dealers, she has yet to be hired anywhere.

What are are your reactions to this article? What initiatives should be taken to raise awareness for women working in male-dominated professions?

Myra Sadker Student and Teacher Awards

2008-10-02T11:37:00.001-07:00

Hey girls! The Myra Sadker Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting gender equity. Each year they had out monetary scholarships and awards to support educational initiatives that promote the goals of the organization. Student, teachers, undergraduates, and doctoral students are all eligible to apply.

Visit www.sadker.org if you're interested in learning more about this opportunity or applying for one of the awards.

Banned Book Week is September 27-October 4

2008-10-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the books Winne-the-Pooh and Charlotte's Web have been banned from some libraries in the past? This week marks the 27th anniversary of Banned Books Week. According to the American Library Association, over 1,000 books have been challenged since 1982. You can find a list of the most commonly challenged books in 2007 here on the ALA website--there were nearly 400 of them! Other books that have been banned or challenged in the past include classics such as Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. More recently, popular books such as Harry Potter have been challenged as well.

Books are banned or challenged for many reasons. One of the main motivations is to protect children from being exposed to difficult subject matter. Content that often causes a book to get challenged includes topics such as racism, profanity, homosexuality, and other controversial issues.

Banning books is a form of censorship that impacts our right to choose. During this week, celebrate your right to choose what books you read and what issues you expose yourself to.

What are your thoughts on this week? Do you support censorship of some book titles in libraries? Do you think it matters who the library's main audience is. For example, do you think that elementary school libraries should be more conscious of what books they have available? Have you read any of the books that are listed as having been challenged or banned?

2008-09-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hey, girls. Do you have a question for Barack Obama or John McCain? Well, here’s your chance to ask it! Send your questions for the presidential candidates to us at submissions@newmoongirls.com by noon on Wednesday, October 1. We'll forward your questions to The Women’s Media Center (WMC), which has been accepted to submit questions to the final Presidential debate on October 15.

This is a wonderful opportunity to speak up about issues that affect you—we can’t wait to hear from you!

Heels for babies?

2008-09-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Have you ever played dress-up with your mom's or older sister's clothes? Many young girls are excited about growing up, but it's not usually a topic facing new-born babies. A new company recently released high-heeled shoes for young babies, a form of footwear usually reserved for the feet of older girls.

Heelarious, a company started by two mothers from Seattle, sells soft imitation high-heeled shoes for babies to wear. While the shoes are mostly for decoration (the heel of each shoe is soft and will collapse if stepped on), we have to question what message this sends girls at such an early age about beauty and gender expectations.

What do you girls think of this product? Do you think that it's just a cute and kitschy accessory? What do you think this product says about our societies expectations of females?

Election Time!

2008-09-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hey girls, the first presidential debate is on for tonight! Republican nominee John McCain had originally called to postpone the debate due to the recent financial problems on Wall Street, but just announced this morning that he still plans to attend.

You may not be old enough to make your vote officially count yet, but you can still be involved and have your voice heard as the election date draws closer! Check out virtual social site Woogi World™, where you can learn more about the candidates running for election, and even cast your own e-vote on the site. We'll also be holding a Mock Election during election week at NewMoonGirls.com!

In the meantime, be sure to check out one girl's report of the democratic convention at NewMoonGirls.com. You can also tune into tonight's live debate on television, which will begin at 9 pm eastern time.

Racism Study

2008-09-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, girls. Did you hear about the new study about racism that was just released? The study was started because of this year's presidential race, where racism might play a part in people's voting decisions. The study focused on attitudes and feelings about racism between White people and Black people. White people and Black people reported VERY different ideas about racism, including the following:

Only 10% of White people said that Black people still face "a lot" of discrimination, but 57% of Black people said they face " a lot" of discrimination.

The study also asked how much racial tension was "caused" by Black people. 30% of Whites said "most" or "all," while only 3% of Black people said they caused "most" or "all" racial tension.

Another finding was that about 20% of Whites surveyed admired black people often, while 70% of Blacks reported admiring White people often.

When I read this study, I was troubled, especially by the fact that 30% of Whites said that Blacks caused "most" or "all" racial tension. That's like saying it's girls' or women's fault when people are sexist! I think it's pretty unfair to blame racism on the group that faces more discrimination.

What do you think about this study? Does it seem fair to you? Was anything surprising? Why do you think White people and Black people have such different ideas about racism? And how can we continue to fight racism? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

This week at NewMoonGirls.com!

2008-09-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

The topic at NewMoonGirls.com this week is "hobbies." Hobbies are all of the activities that you love to do for fun, such as drawing, writing, playing sports, and reading.

One of my favorite hobbies is scrap booking. I save ticket stubs, programs, and postcards from everywhere I go, and later paste them into a blank book. I think that scrap booking is a great way to record memories of trips and events. It's also a great activity to do with friends. You can create scrapbooks of memories you have and of experiences that you all shared together.

What are some of your favorite hobbies? Also, be sure to visit NewMoonGirls.com to read about what other girls like to do for fun!

Autumnal Equinox!

2008-09-22T08:55:00.001-07:00

Happy first day of fall everyone! Today's autumnal equinox officially marks the end of summer and the start of the fall season. What are some of your favorite things about fall?

Are you pulled in by marketing?

2008-09-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I was at the grocery store when a display of Halloween-themed boxes of General Mills cereals caught my eye. I don't usually eat cereal, but it was hard to resist the box of Trix cereal with a brightly colored picture of the rabbit wearing a mask on the front.

The Federal Trade Commission has reported that the food and beverage industries pull in their greatest profits from marketing to kids. Most of the money they spend goes to marketing soda, fast food--and breakfast cereal. Companies market their products through television ads, websites, online games, and promotions, all designed to make you want their product.

While many companies (including General Mills) have recently pledged to limit how they market their products to children, it's still important to be more aware of how companies try to sell their products to you. Do you girls often find yourself wanting a product after seeing an advertisement for it? Do you visit company websites (such as General Mills)? What features on these websites do you spend time looking at? Are you often attracted to a product because of its packaging?

Friendship Week at NewMoonGirls.com!

2008-09-18T16:35:00.001-07:00

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." Helen Keller

We're celebrating friendships this week at NewMoonGirls.com! True friends celebrate your accomplishments, are there for you when you're feeling down, and inspire you to be the best that you can be. Many of you also have someone you consider to be your "best friend." How do you girls define a best friend? Do you think that you can have more than one best friend?

We'd love to hear YOUR thoughts! Also visit friendship week at New Moon to read poems and stories written by other girls about their own friendships.

Featured News: UN Says Eat Less Meat to Curb Global Warming

2008-09-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Green Living

Everyone seems to have green (environmentally-friendly) living on their minds. Dr. Ragendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, recently stated that people should make an effort to eat less meat to help reduce global warming. He suggets that people should avoid consuming meat for one day each week.

Meat production can harm the environment in several ways. The activities involved with rearing animals are responsible for almost one fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions (according to the UN) and also leads to global warming and habitat destruction.

What do you girls think about this topic? Do you think that there are ways for farmers to reduce their environmental impact, such as using free-range and organic farming techniques? What do you do to decrease your personal impact on the environment?

Be sure to check out the "I'm The Change" message board at newmoongirls.com, where girls are currently discussing what they can do to help the environment!

Talking with friends

2008-09-16T07:11:00.001-07:00

Friendship Week

This week's topic at NewMoonGirls.com is friends. Friends play an important role in our lives. I know that whenever I'm confused and need to make a decision, I often turn to the people who know me the best-my family and friends.

However, sometimes I have the tendency to talk about some situations too much with my friends. It turns out that talking too much about issues may actually be a bad thing! An article published in last week's New York Times discusses how research has found that constantly talking about everday issues with friends may make you stressed and more anxious about those issues.

How do you decide to move from just talking about an issue to actually taking action to improve the situation? Talking is the first step in problem solving, and sometimes it can be enough. However, talking too much about certain issues can actually keep them constantly on your mind and increase your uncertainties or worries. It may be helpful in this situation to figure out positive ways to get the subject off of your mind, such as reading a book, going for a walk, or playing a game with friends.

Talking about things is a positive and healthy activity, but dwelling on the issues can end up causing you more stress. Who do you girls talk about your everyday problems with? Do you or your friends have a tendency to over discuss issues? Do you think that this is a good or bad thing?

Also, be sure to visit newmoongirls.com this week to read what other girls have to say about their friendships!

Review of NewMoonGirls.com!

2008-09-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Common Sense Media recently gave NewMoonGirls.com a 4/5 star rating! You can read the whole review here on their website, and also find reviews of other media as well. Way to go girls; newmoongirls.com is truly a team effort!

The Most Beautiful People in America

2008-09-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

An article on yahoo.com mentions that Miami is the city in America with the most beautiful people. This is according to an online survey put out by the magazine Travel + Leisure. The survey also ranks cities in categories such as most friendly and most intelligent.

We question how this survey generalizes people's personalities based on their region. It's easy to rank a region based on factors such as the number of restaurants and museums it has, but how can you quantify a personality trait such as friendliness or an objective physical characteristic like beauty?

What do you girls think about this survey? Do you think it's wrong to rank cities based on these characteristics? Do you think that the people living in the cities are impacted at all by rankings such as this one?

Profile: Ballet Folklorico de Mexico

2008-09-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

You're likely to encounter many different languages when you travel to other countries, but there is one language that is universal-the language of dance. Today, we present an introduction to a dance company in Mexico that embodies Mexican culture through the fusion of dance, music, and costume.

The Ballet Folklórico de México was founded in the 1950s by Amalia Hernández, who was a dancer and is also credited with helping to pioneer folk dance in Mexico. She wanted to establish both her own company and school of dance in Mexico City, and managed to accomplish both goals with success during her lifetime.

The essence of the company’s dance repertory is traditional Mexican folk dance, but the company uses classical and modern dance elements in its choreography as well. The company reflects Mexican culture not only through its choreography and dancers, but also through the use of costumes and music. They perform weekly at the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico, and have also toured internationally which have earned them widespread acclaim. You can visit their website to see pictures of the dancers and costumes, and learn more about the background of the company.

Given that America is made up of many different cultures, do you think that music or dance here can reflect American culture? Do you think that there are any unifying elements in American culture?

Also, be sure to check out newmoongirls.com for more of Latina heritage week!

Profile: Frida Kahlo

2008-09-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

Latina heritage week continues here at New Moon! Today we present a profile of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo who lived in the first half of the 20th century.

Frida was born in 1907 in Mexico. Often known as the wife of fellow painter Diego Riviera, she gained widespread recognition for her work in the 1980s after her work began to get published in books.

Frida faced a difficult childhood. After surviving the polio disease, she intended to study medicine and was enrolled in a prepatory school. However everything changed after she was in a tragic bus accident which left her body shattered. She taught herself to paint while in recovery from the accident, beginning her life as an artist.

She primarily painted brightly colored self-portraits and still lifes. Her work is often connected to surrealism, which uses the elements of surprise and the unexpected. Frida was also influenced by traditional folk art, which is evident through her use of bright colors and flattened form in her paintings. She died in 1954 at the age of 47.

You can read more about Frida here at NewMoonGirls.com. You can also see examples of her artwork at fridakahlo.com!

New Moon Cakes!

2008-09-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

Most of you have probably seen or eaten a half-moon cookie before--but what about a New Moon cake? We just read that luxury hotel Sofitel Plaza Saigon in Vietnam bakes and sells new moon cakes in one of their shops. We don't know if it's possible to try one of these cakes since we're in the U.S., but they sure look yummy!

Profile: Michelle Bachelet

2008-09-09T06:46:00.000-07:00

This week is Latina heritage week at newmoongirls.com! Today we are profiling a strong Latina leader. Read on to learn about Michelle Bachelet, the first female president of Chile in South America. Ms. Bachelet has been the president of Chile since 2006, and prior to her current position, she also held roles as Minister of Health and Minister of Defense for the country.

She was born in Santiago, the capital of Chile. Her mother was an archaeologist, and her dad was in the Chilean Air Force. She spent her childhood moving and living on different military bases. A fun fact: she spent almost two years living in Maryland in the US during her high school years!

Ms. Bachelet is a member of Chile's socialist party, and during her early adult years this affiliation led to her being kidnapped and tortured at a time when the government in power was persecuting socialists. After being freed, she lived in Germany and continued her studies for awhile before returning to Chile. Trained as a doctor, she began working for health organizations back in her home country, which eventually propelled her into politics.

After being elected president on January 15, 2006, she named an equal number of men and women cabinet members. She also appointed people from a wide variety of different parties, keeping consistent with the idea of balanced power. You can read more about Michelle Bachelet in New Moon's September/October 2006 issue, "Politics and Leaders," or you can read about other strong Latina women at http://www.newmoongirls.com/.

Contest Opportunity!

2008-09-08T10:02:00.001-07:00

Hey girls! Ever finish a book and imagine what happens to the characters next? I know I do! Well get your thinking caps on and check out this neat writing contest from Lynn Brittney, author of the Christmas book Christine Kringle. She’s interested in finding out where the readers want to see the story and characters go next. To find out, she's asking people between the ages of 10 and 100 to come up with a one page plot synopsis for the next book in the Christine Kringle series.

What are the perks of winning you may ask? The winner of the contest will receive both $5,000 and their name on the front of the next book!

Entry forms can be found at the book’s website. If you haven’t read the book, you might want to check it out from your local library so that you can become familiar with the characters and plot line. The deadline isn't until January 31st 2009, so you still have plenty of time!

Wanted: Girl to Write about Republican Convention

2008-09-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hi, girls! It's an exciting election year in the U.S., with all of us waiting on the edge of our seat to see whether we'll have our first Black president or our first woman vice president. Recently, I received a journal about the Democratic National Convention written by a 12-year-old girl who attended. We'll be featuring the journal at NewMoonGirls.com. I'd love to include coverage of the Republican Convention as well. If you or a girl you know attended, please consider submitting something to NewMoonGirls! You can get in touch with me at laceyl@newmoongirlmedia.com to learn more!

Are women facing a glass ceiling?

2008-09-05T07:43:00.001-07:00

It's been exciting to see two strong women in this year's U.S. presidential race, first Hillary Clinton, and now Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Some people still judge women harshly for focusing on their career, thinking they should focus on family instead or fulfill more traditional gender roles. Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is an example of a powerful woman in politics who has been able to have both a successful career and large family.

Ms. Palin gave a speech this past Wednesday at the Republican National Convention. In her speech she made the statement “women can walk through any door in America,” referring to the opportunities that they are able to pursue. If this is true, why do you think there are so few women in politics and top positions in business? Are women less interested in these positions, or are they still facing a "glass ceiling" in these fields?

The idea of a glass ceiling is that there are invisible barriers that prevent someone from advancing into higher-level positions in their career field. These “invisible barriers” include factors such as age, race, and gender. Men are often paid more and favored for promotion over women. Many women also feel that they face stereotypes in the professional world, such as unfair doubt about their ability to lead and persuade.

Do you agree with Ms. Palin's statement? Do you think that women and men have equal career opportunities in America? Is a glass ceiling still present? Does a woman’s desire to pursue a family play a large role in whether or not she can have a successful career? What can women do to continue moving forward?

Sports And Dedication-What's Too Much?

2008-09-03T12:43:00.001-07:00

Following up on the sports-related post from yesterday, I ran across an article today questioning whether or not starting children in intense sports training at an early age is a good idea. Growing up, I had a friend who started learning ballet at a young age in a pre-professional program. Ballet is a physical art that demands a huge time and mental commitment starting at a young age, and by fifth grade she was required to attend classes almost every day. By sixth grade she had quit the program to pursue other interests and spend more time with friends.

With the Olympics still a fresh topic on everyone’s minds, the article mentioned young gymnast Shawn Johnson,who began her gymnastics training at the age of three. Without her early dedication, it’s hard to know if she could have become as talented at the sport as she is today. However, the intense training required of female athletes such as Shawn puts a lot of stress on their growing bodies. Spending so much time on the same physical activity can also get in the way of girls' studies or friendships.

While it’s good to be passionate about something, do you think that you can spend too much time on an activity? In the competitive world of sports, how much is too much? If someone shows potential to excel in a sport, do you think that their parents should still encourage them to pursue other interests? Do you or girls you know feel the need to be perfect or "the best" at something at any cost? Let's talk about it!

High School Girl Banned From Playing On Her School's Team

2008-09-02T13:02:00.001-07:00

Football is the quintessential American sport, and the traditional view of the sport is that boys play the game while girls cheer them on from the sidelines. Most sports have a male team and a female team, but football is one of the few sports for which there is only one team—and it’s almost always all-male.

We were upset to read that last week, a 14-year-old girl in Georgia was banned from playing on her private school’s high school team because of her gender. According to this article on ESPN, the Georgia Football League, which oversees the private school teams for the state, dismissed Kacy Stuart from playing on her school’s team. Kacy had played throughout middle school for her school and would have been allowed to continue playing at a public high school had she not attended a private Christian school instead--which is exempt from Title IX since they don't receive federal funding.

We hope that Kacy finds a way to continue playing football, and we applaud her for pursuing her love of the sport despite gender barriers! We were also excited to find out that The National Women's Football Association is hosting football camps this fall to teach interested girls how to play the sport. If you want to do something, gender should not be the factor stopping you!

Do any of you girls know of stories like this one? Do you know any girls who play on a team that is otherwise all-male?

Sarah Palin announced as McCain's running mate

2008-08-29T10:01:00.001-07:00

As many of you have probably heard by now, this morning John McCain announced that Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin will be his vice-presidential running mate. A surprising and unexpected choice, Palin is now officially the first female vice-presidential candidate for the Republican Party.

Between Hilary Clinton and now Palin, it’s great to see strong, opinionated women finally becoming major players in politics this election season for both main parties. The two women have very different political views, and it’s interesting to consider how this will affect support for Palin since Hilary had such a strong female backing, especially among older women.

Given Palin and Clinton’s different political views, do you think that Palin will be able to gain any of the female support that Clinton had based purely on her gender despite their different political views? What do you know about Sarah Palin? How do you feel about McCain's choice?

Interview with Harmony Susalla of Harmony Art Organic Design

2008-08-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Interview with Harmony Susalla of Harmony Art Organic Design

by our former intern, Elizabeth!

Have you ever stopped to think that it’s someone’s job to design the fabric in everything from clothes to comforters to couches? For Harmony Susalla, founder of Harmony Art Organic Design , it only truly sank in as she browsed her closet’s contents after her first class at the California School of Professional Fabric Design [http://www.fabricschool.com]. “It felt like coming home,” she says. Eleven years later, Harmony now runs her own organic fabric design business. Sustainable textiles production is a fast-growing field, and Harmony is at the forefront with her gorgeous graphics. Last November, she was kind enough to answer some our questions about what life is like in the organic fabric design world. Read below for our interview with her.

New Moon: I loved reading the history of your company on your website. What was it like to first discover your passion for fabric design?

Harmony Susalla: It felt like coming home. I had just been going through life doing what came to me, and when I discovered textile design, it was just like, “Oh yeah, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” There was that knowledge and confidence that I had found what I was meant to do. What’s amazing about it is how everything has unfolded along the way, reinforcing that. I have in my [online] history that I graduated on a Wednesday, and on a Thursday I got a call. And without them knowing that I had [just graduated]. It’s been like that. It’s been like magic.

Where do your greatest inspirations for designs come from?

Nature. Almost exclusively. [In other design jobs] we’d end up being told to go trend shopping and see what’s out there on the market, and I always found that not my favorite part of the job. I don’t really like to shop. I’m kind of the anti-shopper. And I always felt like I should be enjoying it—I mean, how many women would love to be paid to go shopping? I always [disliked] those days. But now I go hiking instead, and I love it absolutely. Like I just did a design last night, or I’m working on one right now, that’s based on a houseplant I have. I definitely find an unlimited source of inspiration [in nature]. It’s so grounding to be outside and realize there’s more to life than the computer screen and the telephone. Look there’s the ocean and the tree that’s been around for, you know 800 years.

Where do you see the sustainable fabric movement going?

It’s exploding, it really is. There are a lot of times when I laugh, because I am in the right place at the right time. Six years ago would have been too early. Six years from now would be getting in late. I’m really at the forefront, and obviously it’s not just me. There are a lot of pioneers who have been at it the last twenty years and sticking with it, and it’s finally beginning to catch on. And there’s some fear, people get concerned that it’s going to get watered down or that it will be somehow corrupted by the masses, but I personally think it’s going to take the masses to change it. I’m less hesitant. I think it’s a good thing that the Wal-Marts and the Williams-Sonomas and the Gaps and the Levis and all of them are hopping on board…

Do you have any advice for girls?

I want to say something about enjoying life and that all the silly stuff that gets in the way is going to disappear. I remember that part of the teen years, too, you know, friends, drama, and it all seemed so important at the time, and in the long run it was so unimportant. So I guess sticking with the people that you have fun with and that fun is based on a place of genuineness. You know, it’s easy to get into judgment and that’s not fun, so I would avoid that like the plague. Just stick to fun and things that bring you joy. Genuine joy.

Part of the exciting thing in life is watching the different puzzle pieces, and you wonder, “Why did I do that?” and “How did I end up doing that?” and suddenly you get a vision of each individual puzzle piece together, and that’s really exciting. So your moment will come.

Fall Intern: Kristen!

2008-08-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm Kristen, the new web intern here at New Moon. Since I'll be working with the blog and writing entries this fall, I thought I'd introduce myself! I'm a junior at Cornell University majoring in Communication, with dreams of working at a magazine after I graduate (editorial? online? I don't know what area yet!). I actually spent this past summer interning at a magazine in Manhattan, which was such an amazing experience. I was an editorial intern, meaning I got to do a little bit of everything, from picking up garments from showrooms for fashion shoots to researching ideas for stories. I loved every minute!

Manhattan is a great city--especially for three of my main interests-dance, fashion, and art. I had a great time taking dance classes from some of the best dancers out there, indulging in great window shopping (I was an intern after all) and fashion-spotting on the street, and attending gallery openings and visiting art museums.

Some of my interests include environmental conservation and sustainability (I started out as a Natural Resources major!), and also women's place in the business world. We need more female CEOs!

Feel free to shoot me an e-mail anytime and let me know if you have any suggestions for things you'd like to see on here-you can reach me at gweb@newmoon.org. Having already navigated my way through middle school and high school into college, I've acquired a bit of knowledge that hopefully I can occasionally lend out here!

Going on 13 documentary

2008-08-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Hey, girls. Recently, I had the privilege of creating a study guide to accompany the new documentary, Going on 13, which follows four girls from ages 9 - 13. I loved this film because it showed REAL GIRLS. I could watch the film again and again (and I did!) because the girls in it became very dear to me. They reminded me of girls I know: of my younger sister, my cousins, and the many amazing girls I've had the opportunity to work with through New Moon. It was so refreshing to see girls who spoke for themselves onscreen; it made me realize anew just how incredibly limited a portrayal the media usually gives girls.

The directors of Going on 13 would love to see you at one of their upcoming screenings. I'd also love to post your thoughts about the movie on this blog if you do get to see it! (There is some profanity in the film and some mature subject matter, so make sure to talk to your parents about whether it's OK for you to see it.)

The next screenings are:
1) LA Latino Film Festival Sept 13
2) SF Documentary Film Festival some time in Oct 17-30
3) South Asian Film Festival (NYC) Nov?
4) Leeds (UK) Youth Film Festival April 2009

And here's the trailer:

Guest Blogger Lacey poses a Women in Politics Friday Story Idea

2008-08-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Today, we have Lacey guest blogging for us. Lacey, busy managing the orb28 blog and NewMoonGirls.com, took the time today to write a beautiful post about the passing of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubb Jones. Lacey says:

I learned this morning that Congresswoman Stephanie Tubb Jones passed away Wednesday evening. Although I never personally met Stephanie, I can't help but be inspired by her ten years of political service in Washington and the way she rose from a career in social work and law to her seat in the House of Representatives. And because only 16% of our Congress is comprised of women, I have the utmost respect for each of them that represents us. I'm sorry that there's one less woman in Washington today.

If you have personal memories about Stephanie, Senator Hillary Clinton is collecting them at her website. I wrote about what a pleasure it was to work with Stephanie when she gave us an interview for our Letter to Congress website. Her passing makes the interview even more precious.

In honor of Stephanie Tubb Jones, I'd like to pose women in politics as a Friday story idea. Are there any women in politics that you particularly admire? How do you feel about the comparatively low participation of women in politics? What political issues get you fired up? Is it important to you that women be involved in politics? Why or why not?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Send us your comments and blog entries!

Pretty Face Vs Pretty Voice at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies

2008-08-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hey New Moon Girls!

How many of you have been watching the Olympics!? Well if you watched the Opening Ceremony you may have noticed a cute Chinese girl in a red dress singing "Ode to the Motherland."

However, did you know that the girl, Lin Miaoke (pictured on right), was actually lipsynching?

As it turns out another young girl, Yang Peyi (pictured on left), was chosen for her voice and it was the voice used for the song. However, they picked Lin Miaoke to "sing" in the ceremony because she was the prettier of the two.

The musical director of the show, Chen Qigang, said that "After several tests, we decided to put Lin Miaoke on the live picture, while using Yang Peiyi's voice." "The reason for this is that we must put our country's interest first," he added.

He also said ,"the girl appearing on the picture must be flawless in terms of her facial expression and the great feeling she can give to people."

I don't know about you girls, but I find it very upsetting that China would do something like this. The girl with the best voice should have been the one to sing in the ceremony. I don't think it's fair for Yang Peiyi to have a supposedly "prettier" girl use her voice.

In the Olympics if you're the lead gymnast, volleyball player, or runner you're still going to be shown and be recognized for your talent no matter what you look like. Shouldn't the same rules apply to these Chinese girls? What are your thoughts on this? Should China have let Yang Peiyi sing instead?

Sony's New Video Game-"Fat Princess!?"

2008-08-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hey New Moon Girls!

Do any of you like video games? I know I do once in a while, but I find this new one created by Sony too be very offensive.

The game sounds intriguing enough- you and your teammates battle another team in what’s meant to be a comic medieval battle. The goal is to rescue a princess from a dungeon and bring her back safely. Each of the two teams has a princess on either side that needs rescuing. However your enemy, has been stuffing her with pastries, so she gains weight and it’s harder for your army to carry her back across the battlefield. You can do this to your enemy’s princess as well. The princess can grow to be at least twice her usual size (pictured above), and this is why the game is called “Fat Princess.”

Being overweight is unhealthy and can lead to a number of health problems. I feel like Sony is making a joke out of overeating and obesity by creating a game where the object on one side of the team is to force a girl to gain weight and be “too fat” so your opponent will lose. It’s supposed to be “comical” how enlarged the princess can become, yet I don’t think overeating or weight problems is a laughing matter.

Many feminists are upset over the game claiming it “furthers inappropriate gender stereotypes” and continues a culture of ridicule that many obese people have to endure.

James Green, the lead art director for “Fat Princess” asks “Does it make it better or worse that the concept artist (who designed the look, characters, everything) is a girl?”

I feel like it shouldn’t matter whether or not the game was created by a man or a woman, it is still an offensive game either way. Just because a woman created it doesn’t undermine the feminist critiques of it.

What do you girls think about this game? Do you find it offensive? Would you still play it?

Celebrities Defend Their Body Types!

2008-08-01T10:40:00.001-07:00

Hey Girl Bloggers!
Did you know that so many photos you see of celebrities and models have been digitally altered by their photographers? Men are shown with larger than life muscles, and women’s breasts are enhanced by a cup or more and thighs and stomachs are trimmed down. Most of the time models and celebrities accept this as the norm and even expect it.

That’s why I found this story very inspirational.

Actress Keira Knightley star of “Atonement” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” has refused to have her breasts digitally enhanced in publicity photos for her new film “Duchess.” She claims she doesn’t need the added cleavage to feel sexy.

In previous movies like 2004’s “King Arthur,” Knightley’s A-cup breasts were enhanced into C-cup breasts, and Knightley admitted the photos had been altered. She still went along with the campaign, but this time four years later she is stepping up! Courtney Martin author of “Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters” thinks, “that's incredibly brave and could have a huge impact on young women."

Martin also claims that "Keira Knightly is essentially giving young women permission to stand up in their communities and their schools and their families and say, 'Look, this is the way I look and it is OK."

Actress Kate Winslet has also spoken out about photo alteration after she appeared on GQ looking much thinner than usual. She openly criticized the picture claiming the size of her thighs were cut down by a third.

Go Kate and Keira for stepping up and defending your bodies!

Pets, Pets, Pets!

2008-07-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!
How many of you have pets at home? I'm guessing almost all of you have at least one! Growing up my family had four cats, two dogs, chickens, and rabbits! It could be fun at times, but often a lot of work!

My mom just loved animals so much that she would take me and my sister to go volunteer at the Two Harbors Humane Society to walk the dogs and pet and brush the cats. It was nice knowing we were making their day a little brighter and giving them some much needed attention.

The problem was my mom just felt so sorry for all the animals in the pound we ended up taking home quite a few of them over the years. I love animals too, but it was frustrating when all my school clothes were covered in fur because the cats had been sleeping on them or when I woke up at six in the morning to the sound of dogs barking outside at the squirrels.

Looking back on it now though I'm happy we adopted all those cats and dogs from the pound and gave them a better life at our house in the country. It was fun having so many pets, and all though we've cut back to two dogs, two cats, chickens and NO rabbits, I like coming home to them every summer after school is out.

What about you girls? Do you have any pets at home? Do you have any funny pet stories? What do you like better-dogs or cats!?

NewMoonGirls.com: Polls & Quizzes Created by You!

2008-07-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!

So the new online community for girls, NewMoonGirls.com, is coming up fast and set to launch September 1st! Right now all of us are having lots of fun adding tons of new and exciting features to the website. One of these features is going to be weekly polls and quizzes for all members to participate in.

An example of this is pictured above. So for example, we might ask you your thoughts on an issue like global warming where you can vote and then see how other girls are voting too. Or you can take a quiz about famous women in history and see how much you know!

The coolest part is that we want YOU to submit your own polls and quizzes for other girls! So whether you're interested in politics, movies, the environment, books, sports, whatever, you can invent your own quiz or poll for the site!
Just send your quiz or poll to: newmoon@newmoongirlmedia.com

After you send it in you'll see it on NewMoonGirls.com this fall! We're all looking forward to hearing your great ideas!

Girls' math scores=Boys' math scores!

2008-07-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Girl Bloggers!
Have you ever had someone tell you that boys are better than girls at math!? Well guess what! It’s not true, and there are new studies to prove it! These studies are the largest compilation of math scores ever recorded. Researchers looked at yearly math tests required by the No Child Left Behind education law in 2002. In these tests over seven million children’s statistical test score information was reviewed by gender. These tests were collected from ten different states.
After viewing all these different scores and comparing the boys’ to the girls’, researchers found no difference in the scores of girls versus boys in elementary and high school. Twenty years ago studies showed that scores were equal in elementary school, but boys had better math scores than girls in high school.

Some researchers claim that many parents and teachers tend to think boys have better math skills, so then they are the ones who end up in professional science and technology careers. Hopefully this new study changes things and will give more opportunities to girls in these exciting jobs!

What do you think girls?! Do you like the math classes you have in high school? Do any of you want jobs someday where you need to use math skills?
Let’s here your thoughts on this exciting breakthrough!

New Moon Girl Media YouTube Channel!

2008-07-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

This is Julia, guest blogging to share my excitement about our new New Moon Girl Media YouTube Channel! The first video posted is a trailer for our orb28 blog for teen girls, which shows New Moon girls in action--brainstorming, working together, speaking out, and making their dreams for orb28 into a reality. I am so honored and inspired to work with these girls, and it was quite nostalgic editing the footage from the retreat into this trailer! (I also really enjoy the accompanying song, "Race You Back Home," and am glad indie female songwriter, Elizabeth Ziman let us use it! Check her out with her band, Elizabeth and the Catapult.)

The New Moon Girl Media YouTube channel is also the kick-off to more multi-media-filled days at New Moon. We'd love to receive your videos on why YOU love New Moon! Why do you think New Moon is positively unique? Why is it important in your life and for girls everywhere?You can submit your video to add to the trailer excitement! And we of course welcome your written testimonials of why you value New Moon as well.Please help us spread the word about this video and our YouTube channel by rating, commenting, and sharing the trailer with family and friends. I'm excited to hear your feedback...Thanks!

Check out the video here!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFdV5ZZuoQU)?

2008-07-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!
Are any of you going on summer vacation with your families this month or next month? My family went out west when I was in junior high, and we had so much fun! We went to the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, and a lot more sites! The only bad part of the trip was when I got food poisoning in Wyoming! The day we got there I had eaten a chef salad at a restaurant where the meat tasted kind of funny. Right afterwards we went to Yellowstone where I started feeling dizzy and nauseous, but I thought it was just from the change in elevation. Then I ended up being sick the whole night, it was awful! Also it was right before the day we were all supposed to go on a big white water rafting trip which I had been looking forward to all summer. Since I was sick all night before, I was too exhausted to go the next morning, so my whole family went without me! I was sad, but we still had a lot of trip time left so we did many other cool things. Other than having food poisoning, it was a great family vacation! Where are the best places you girls have traveled to? Do you have any exciting trips planned for this summer!?

The Miss Universe Competition~It's easy to trip in heels!

2008-07-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!
I didn’t watch the 2008 Miss Universe pageant last week, but for those of you who did you most likely saw the infamous trip down the stairs of the U.S. entrant, Crystle Stewart from Texas. What I don’t understand is why there was and still is so much media coverage surrounding the incident. Is it really that terrible that she slipped? Who wouldn’t trip in a tight evening dress and ridiculously high heels? Why is it so important to the competition that women be able to walk in tight clothes and heels? What’s with all the obsessive media coverage?

What’s even more interesting is that nearly the exact same thing happened the previous year in 2007 to the U.S. candidate Rachel Smith. Doesn’t this prove that there is a problem with the type of “attire” which is required to be Miss Universe, Miss America, Miss World or pretty much any pageant winner? It’s dangerous to wear high heels and long tight dresses you could trip over because you could sprain your ankle or worse. Why should this be part of the competition? Also besides evening wear, why is there a swimsuit competition? Should candidates really be required to strut around half naked on stage in front of billions of viewers? Why is looking good in a bikini part of the contest?

What do you girls think about this? Should pageants be changed? Maybe the winner should be picked for their dedication to charities, or their volunteer work, or positive plans for the prize money rather than their ability to smile pretty and walk down stairs in ridiculous shoes. What do you think?

NewMoonGirls.com: Testing Will Soon Begin!

2008-07-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

It's been in the works a long time, but NewMoonGirls.com, our online community for girls ages 8 to 12 is almost here! It's set to launch September 1st--the office is abuzz with excitement! Every day, we are seeing new parts of the website coming together, and we know you're going to love it! And our girl boards have a whole new reason to be excited too. Testing is about to begin!

Over the next few weeks, members of New Moon Girl Boards will see all the ideas they shared, and all the ideas you shared, in real life in an intense testing period. They'll make sure everything is working properly for the big launch. They'll give their feedback and share new ideas. And we're going to video tape it all! So when the site opens, you'll be able to watch clips of how the testing went!

But our girl boards aren't the only ones getting a sneak peek. Each week from now until the big launch, we'll share a new piece of the website with you on all our blogs--so you, too, can see just how great it's going to be! And here's your first sneak peek: a few of the great avatars that will be on the website, all created by girls just like you! At NewMoonGirls.com, every member will be able to have her own room and portfolio where she can share her writing, artwork, thoughts, feelings, and more! And we've chosen some of the fabulous artwork submitted to New Moon magazine over the years for the avatars that will represent girls on the site.

Do you have a great idea for an avatar that you'd like to share? We'll add to the avatar collection all the time! Create your vision of Luna, a girl, an animal, or whatever you think would be a great avatar on NewMoonGirls.com. Draw it on unlined paper, scan it, and email it with your first name, age, and state or country to newmoon@newmoongirlmedia.com or mail the paper copy to our offices. If you choose to mail your drawings, please don't fold the paper or the image may be damaged and we may not be able to use it on the website. We can't wait to see what you come up with! And while you're waiting for NewMoonGirls.com to open its doors, don't forget to check out our Ask a Girl microsite to share questions and advice! More great sneak peeks coming soon!!!

The Best Foods To Buy Organically!

2008-07-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!

I’ve noticed a lot of you have voiced concern about the environment in some of your blog posts and comments. One great thing to do for the environment and your health is to eat organically. Organic foods are produced with no pesticides, chemicals, or hormones and they often taste a lot better too! However organic grocery shopping is expensive and it’s hard for most families to afford to buy all organic food. So if you have to decide on just a few items to buy, here are the top foods that should be bought organically whenever possible because they are more chemically treated than other foods:

1.) Meat: Animals are often raised with tons of antibiotics to fight disease and hormones to speed up the animal’s growth, so they can be butchered and sold quickly. Buying certified organic meat (when food is certified organic it has the sticker pictured above on the right!) it means that farmers have met USDA standards where animals aren’t injected with anything and only consume organic feed.
2.) Milk: Did you know that pesticides and other chemicals have been found in women’s breast milk? This is proof that foods you consume that are sprayed with chemicals remain in your body! When milk is produced organically cows do not eat grain with pesticides and are never injected with hormones like rGBH or rbST.
3.) Coffee: Probably most of you girls don’t drink coffee yet (I don’t even drink it!) but if you do someday it’s another thing that’s important to buy organically. Buying Fair Trade Certified Organic coffee not only guarantees that chemicals were not used on the plants, but it also means that fair prices were paid to the farmers and that farmers were treated fairly!
4.) Peaches, Apples, and Strawberries: These three fruits have more pesticides than other fruits and are often imported from countries that have less strict regulations for pesticide use.
5.) Sweet Bell Peppers, Grapes, and Tomatoes: All these food have really thin skins that are often heavily sprayed with pesticides more so than other vegetables because they are so prone to insects. So because of the thin skin the pesticides leak through and contaminate all of the food making it impossible to wash off.

6.) Celery: Celery is even worse because it has no skin at all on it, so it's almost impossible to wash off the chemicals sprayed on it.
7.) Lettuce: Believe it or not lettuce is often sprayed with the most powerful combination of pesticides. If you can’t buy it organically, it’s really easy to grow it in a garden.
8.) Potatoes: This vegetable often gets sprayed with a huge amount of pesticides plus lots of fungicides which are added into the soil.

I don't want to scare you girls and tell you not to eat these foods if they're not organic! It's just that it's been proven to be better for you to eat organically because there are no chemicals and often more vitamins and minerals in the food! But even if you can't eat these foods organically, you should still eat them and enjoy them because they're good for you and contain important nutrients. What are your thoughts on organic food versus conventionally grown foods? Do you think organic tastes better?

The MyPyramid~A Great Way to Stay Healthy!

2008-07-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Girl Bloggers!
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I worry that I’m not eating the right foods to stay healthy. That’s why I find the MyPyramid (pictured above) to be incredibly helpful! You can go to the online interactive MyPyramid Plan to help you choose the right foods and amounts for you. You just enter your age, gender, and how often you exercise to find out what you should be doing. It helps you to make healthy choices and find a balance between food and exercise.
If you don’t already know about the MyPyramid it’s an updated version of the old U.S. Food Guide Pyramid. The different colors stand for the different food groups and how much you need from each of them. Orange stands for grains, green for vegetables, red for fruits, yellow for oils and fats, blue for dairy, and purple for meats, beans, fish, and poultry.
Also you can tell from the picture that all the colors are different widths. For example green is a lot wider than yellow because you need lots of vegetables every day, but you should limit how much oils and fats you have. The reason why all these colors are there is because you need to choose a variety of foods from each group. Also the figure going up the steps alongside the colors is a reminder to get daily exercise. Teen girls should get at least 60 minutes of exercise every day. I like riding my bike, taking my dogs for walks, and playing badminton. Do any of you girls have fun exercises you like to do?
Sometimes I find it hard to get enough fruits every day. If you have a blender at home making a smoothie is a great way to get your “red” colors! This is one I particularly like:

Strawberry Smoothie:
2 cups ice cubes
3 cups fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup cranberry juice

Be sure to use 100% real cranberry juice, not the sugary cocktail kind. Real cranberry juice is great for your urinary tract and helps keep you healthy. Strawberries are rich in Vitamin C and in phenols and antioxidants which protect the cell structures in your body.
Do you girls have any great healthy recipes you’d like to share?

Classic Cartoon Characters Revamped!

2008-07-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!
Have you heard about how some old cartoon characters are being redesigned for the 21st century? The cartoon character Strawberry Shortcake from the 1980s now looks quite different with tighter clothes, longer hair, bigger eyes, and lipstick. She also appears to be older than her past self, and instead of carrying around a calico cat she sports a cell phone. The pictures above show how incredibly different she looks from her 1980s character!

The Care Bears are going to be changed too. American Greetings is going to be putting out a new line of bears this fall which have less belly fat and longer eyelashes. But aren’t teddy bears supposed to have big bellies? Why are they promoting "thinner" bears?

Probably most of you don’t know the character Angelina Ballerina, but if you check out the pictures on the right you’ll notice what a different look she has now then she did in the 1980s. It seems to me that she has slimmed down a lot!

Even the teenage mutant ninja turtles will be changed by their creators, 4Kids Entertainment, so next year they will have bigger muscles in video games.

Walt Disney Company is even planning on changing Mickey Mouse! According to Robert A. Iger, Disney's chief executive, Mikey "needs to evolve to be relevant to new generations of kids."

Corporate owners of these fictional stars seem to think that their characters will sell more if they have an updated look for children of today, but still remind parents of the characters they grew up with. They think it will appeal to parent’s nostalgia to see the characters from old shows they used to watch and lead them to buy the character's products for their children.

What do you think? Will this marketing plan be a success? Was it a good idea to change these classic characters or should corporations have kept them as they were? Are corporations putting too much emphasis on slimness and looks? Let's here your thoughts on this girls!

2008-07-03T06:19:00.001-07:00

New Moon Editor Julia guest posting here...

I just got word from our friends at 5 Resolutions that Claire Mysko's book for girls is out this week!

Claire writes:
"You're Amazing! A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self is based on the Girls Inc. "Supergirl Dilemma" study, which shows that girls are feeling increasing pressures to be perfect and please everyone. Perfectionism is a major source of girls' stress (60% of girls in the study reported that they often feel stressed), low-self-esteem, and poor body image. That's the bad news. The good news is that with the right tools and support systems, girls can learn to give up the quest to be "super" and start celebrating what makes them amazing. My hope is that this book will help to kick-off that celebration.I would like to say a big, big thanks to you, dear readers! Your support and kind words have meant so much to me. Speaking of amazing...you all fit the bill."

To kick things off, Claire is doing a book giveaway on her blog! She says: "Everyone who posts a comment about what makes them amazing is entered to win an autographed copy of the book. The contest runs through July 7th and you can enter here."

Awesome! We'd love to hear what you think of the book and your "what makes me amazing" comments on the New Moon Girls blog too!! :)

Video Contest with a Cash Prize for Kids!

2008-07-01T10:37:00.001-07:00

Hey Girls! Do any of you enjoy making home videos? If you do check out this amazing opportunity! MeetMeAtTheCorner.org is a website dedicated to kids (ages 7-13), and is offering a two hundred and fifty dollar prize to whoever creates the best short video of a special summertime event or activity that happens in their hometown! This could be a festival, or a parade, or any kind of summer happening! You can click on the link above to watch a video podcast on how to make a documentary and get more instructions on the contest.

When you make your video it’s a good idea to use “voiceovers” once you’re done filming. In the voiceover you’ll be explaining what is going on in the video without actually being on camera, sort of like being the narrator of a story. There are tips on how to do voiceovers at the website. You need to have five voiceovers at the end of your footage which include:

1.) What and Where your event is.
2.) What the event is like and what kind of people attend it
3.) Why the event is held in your hometown
4.) What your favorite part of the event is
5.) And just anything else you can think of to say about the event!

The video you send in must be postmarked by August 31st, and it must be ten minutes or less. Also the video has to be submitted on a MiniDV tape. In addition to the two hundred fifty dollars the winner gets their video podcast added to the website, so everyone can view it! This is a great way to learn about documentaries and the community you live in. Go to summerinmytowncontest to read more about this exciting competition!

Getting Involved: The 2008 Election

2008-06-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Girl Bloggers!
I’ve noticed a lot of you expressing your concern over the upcoming 2008 presidential election. Issues that seem to be most important to you based on your articles and comments in the Girls Blog include concerns about the environment, gay marriage, civil rights, and the war in Iraq.

Although most of you can’t vote yet it’s still important to be informed about the presidential candidates. You can make a difference in the election by discussing your opinions with those who can vote and influence the election like your parents, older friends and siblings, and teachers. Encourage them to vote on Election Day. Put posters and signs in your house’s yards and windows of the candidate you support. You can write a letter to your hometown newspaper or school newspaper expressing your thoughts on the candidates. If you find a parent or older friend to accompany you, you could even volunteer for one of the candidates by distributing flyers and yard signs around your neighborhood.

To find out more about the Democratic candidate Barack Obama click on this link.
To find out more about the Republican candidate John McCain click on this link.

If you girls have any other ideas about how to become more involved in the election feel free to post a comment!

All Your Ear Piercing Questions Answered!

2008-06-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls! I’ve noticed a lot of you in the New Moon Girls message board have had some questions and comments about ear piercings. Let me give you some information so you know what the dangers are and what to expect!

The most common dangerous side effect of a piercing is bacterial infection. This is when the area around your new piercing turns red and swells and is often very painful! Be sure to clean it regularly with saline solution and soap and water in the shower, or with antibiotics.

Some areas with a lot of cartilage, like the top of your ear, can be much more dangerous to pierce because they can be harder to treat if they get infected. Antibiotics aren’t enough to treat the infection and sometimes the area will develop an abscess ( a collection of pus in the tissue) which then has to be drained by medical professionals. Yikes!

It’s also very important that you go to a well-known piercing parlor where the piercers wear plastic gloves and use sterilized needles. Be sure the place looks clean and make sure the autoclave (the machine that sterilizes needles) is working properly. If it is they should have a current Spore test that shows that the autoclave has been tested and approved. When needles aren’t sterilized infections can be easily transmitted. That’s why it is dangerous to try to pierce yourself or have a friend do it. Also be sure to get a set of aftercare instructions, so you know how to care for your piercing!
Piercings can be expensive too, usually at least fifty dollars, and if you’re not eighteen you need a parent to come to the piercing parlor with you.

Piercings can be fun and exciting, but I recommend waiting till you’re older to know for sure whether you want one or not! If you get a piercing and take it out later, it can sometimes leave an ugly scar! And yes piercings can hurt! Basic ear piercings in your earlobe aren’t too painful, but cartilage can hurt a lot! Also a lot of the time the initial piercing isn’t too bad, but the weeks and even months it can take to heal can be painful.

So be sure you think a long time about whether you really want a piercing, and always ask your parents for permission first! If you have any other questions about piercings or stories to share feel free to post a comment!