If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, please check out my friend and fellow member of the Confidence Community (TM) Johanna Kandel’s new book, “Life Beyond Your Eating Disorder: Reclaim Yourself, Regain Your Health, Recover for Good,” which just came out today.

Johanna struggled with her eating disorder for ten years before finally getting help. She founded the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness in 2000 to do community outreach, education, awareness, and prevention of various eating disorders, to share the message that recovery from these disorders is possible, and make sure that those suffering from eating disorders don’t have to recover alone.

In her powerful new book, Johanna offers tools and insight for those with eating disorders so they can:

• Stop self-sabotage and sidestep triggers
• Quiet the eating-disordered voice
• Strengthen the healthy, positive voice
• Let go of all-or-nothing thinking
• Overcome fear and embrace change
• Stay motivated and keep moving forward

Complete with inspiring true stories from others who have won their personal battles with eating disorders, this book provides the help you need to break free from your eating disorder and discover how wonderful life really can be.

Congratulations to Johanna on bringing this very important book into the world!

I just found out about another great opportunity for those of you who want to get more involved in journalism and are looking for a platform to share your perspective on pop culture, the media, and more. Ypulse, the popular blog that provides independent coverage of youth culture, has just put out the call for new members to join the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Ypulse is looking to further expand the YAB network and broaden the scope of young voices that give Ypulse Readers an authentic glimpse into youth culture today.

Here’s the scoop straight from the source:

For the 2010/2011 term we’re opening up 10 slots to youth between the ages of 13 and 24. We’re looking for diversity in age, race, geography and experience, but most importantly strong opinions about youth culture that will inform and challenge the ongoing discussion around media and marketing here on Ypulse.

We offer the YAB quarterly incentives, along with, of course, the opportunity to publish on Ypulse (building a body of published work and having your photo/bio on the site), network with other advisory board members, and the potential for college or career references and recommendations. There may also be opportunities to attend conferences or other events as “press.”

The board meets on a virtual platform once a month and regularly corresponds over email to discuss editorial ideas, multimedia projects and other contributions. To qualify as a full member and receive those aforementioned incentives, we ask members meet a few eligibility requirements (5 editorial and/or multimedia contributions per year-long term and a maximum of 3 missed meetings, unless there are extenuating circumstances). Nothing too unreasonable since we know most are students and/or working.

If this at all interests you, I urge you to go for it. One of the Louder Than Words authors I worked closely with this past year, Chelsea Rae Swiggett (author of Rae) participated on the YAB this year and had a great experience.

If you are between the ages of 13 and 24, you can fill out the online application here. The deadline for YAB applications is Friday, September 17 by 5 p.m. PST.

Good luck!

As a big fan of AllyKatzz, a cool social networking site that gives girls ages 10-15 a place to be heard for girls ages 10-15, I’m really excited about their upcoming relaunch. The site is shifting its focus to give girls ages 9-17 a chance to share their thoughts on the things that are important to them. By engaging teens as “reporters” for the site, the new AllyKatzz will give both tweens and teens a content-rich environment where they will delve into topics that are meaningful to them and put more emphasis on their voice. Official AllyKatzz reporters will be given their own AllyKatzz.com columns and have the ability to literally write and ‘right’ their own stories!

Being a reporter for AllyKatzz comes with lots of perks, including:

• Being able to “Speak Up, Be Heard, and Change Their World” — through words, videos, art, and photos.
• Becoming “official” reporters — credentials and all.
• Focusing their time and talent on topics that are of interest to them and others — from the daily life of a tween-teen, to celebrities and fashion, to current events — and having their efforts showcased to millions of people world-wide.
• Opportunities to interview authors, actors, singers, musicians, politicians, CEO’s and more because of AllyKatzz.com’s relationships.
• Being published from a young age — and having a portfolio for college.

Interested? You’ll have to go through a rigorous application process that includes a sample blog, a letter of recommendation, written parental permission, and the stamp of a notary public. But it sounds to me like the payoff if you’re selected will be well-worth the effort!

To find out more and apply, download this form. But hurry and get your application in soon…the new site will be launching next month! Good luck!

I just read on the awesome blog Feministing about a new ad in a Gap store window that says “Put Some Pants On! Because We Can’t All Look Good in Shorts.” The photo at left was taken by journalist Stephanie Marcus, who writes on her blog:

Sigh. I find this ad more than just a little infuriating. It sends the message that that only certain types, shapes and sizes of bodies are acceptable in certain types of clothing, and worse, that unless you are part of the crowd that fits into this acceptable mold, you’d be better off covering your body up.

Well, that’s a bummer, Gap. Especially since now I won’t be able to shop at your store for shorts, pants, or anything else until you eliminate this offensive ad campaign and apologize for using body shame as a ploy to convince us to buy your clothes.

What message do YOU think this ad puts out there? Are you as offended as I am? If so, let The Gap know by writing to them here.

I just heard about a new online magazine for teens debuting this week called Hardly that I can hardly wait to check out. That’s because it’s being touted as a smarter alternative to many of the magazines available for girls today, and is even drawing comparisons to the now retired Sassy. Will it have the goods? We’ll have to wait for the premiere issue. But a sneak peak of what’s inside, along with an interview with co-editors Jennifer Lee and Laura deCarufel over at the National Post, promises good things.

According to the article, the magazine has a strong focus on alternative culture and the arts, and the first issue will feature diaries from teen girls, an advice column, and internship column, and articles and photo shoots featuring real girls doing their real thing.

Says co-founder Jennifer Lee , “We want Hardly to be a magazine that teenage girls look to for inspiration, a magazine that is a substantial read rather than a how-to guide. I think that the Hardly reader is a girl with a strong sense of individuality that comes from a free-spirited openness — a sense of self that defies easy categories.”

Adds Laura deCarufel, “As a teenager, you’re already always evaluating yourself in relation to the people around you, and in pop culture. It’s depressing how the people who are held up as icons (like the girls on The Hills) seem to have so little substance to offer. But the exciting part is that there are people who are doing great things everywhere, all the time. We want Hardly to introduce teenagers to people that they might not hear about otherwise; we want to  showcase people with real talent—like the musicians, artists, writers, designers who inspired us years ago.”

Sounds like a good read to me. Will post more once the magazine goes live!

Hi Smart Girls!

I’m so excited to share the news that the next 3 teen-authored memoirs in the Louder Than Words series I created for HCI Books comes out today!

In working with this second group of Louder Than Words authors, Hannah Westberg, Alexis Singer, and Chelsea Rae Swiggett, I’ve once again had the honor of supporting and working with three incredible teens who pushed themselves outside their comfort zones, asked the hard questions, and bared their souls. Like the first three memoirs, the newest books in the series deal with similarly pressing, and important, issues.

In Alexis: My True Story of Being Seduced By An Online Predator, author Alexis Singer tells us about getting caught up in an unhealthy cyber-affair with a man she met online. Hannah Westberg gives an intimate glimpse of life as a teen with mental illness in Hannah: My True Story of Drugs, Cutting, and Mental Illness. And lastly, Chelsea Rae Swiggett powerfully writes about the challenges of living with severe anxiety disorder in Rae: My True Story of Fear, Anxiety and Social Phobia.

I hope you read their stories and let the authors speak to you from the page. Because I know that each Louder Than Words author wanted to write their book for exactly that reason—to share what they’ve been through in the hopes of connecting with and helping other teens who might be facing similar challenges.

You can check out the series and get to know the inspiring young authors behind the books on the Louder Than Words site by reading their blogs, listening to their playlists, delving into their bios, and watching the book trailers.

Thanks so much for letting me share my good news with you, and I hope you like the series!

XOXO
Debbie

PS… Watch book trailers for all three memoirs here!

A recent article in the NY Times says that many of Miley Cyrus’ core followers - fans of the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana who tend to be between 8 and 12 years old - think Miley has gone too far with her new, sexy image. In fact, in 2010, only 24% of teens 13-17 said they liked Miley, compared with 45% in 2008.

Miley’s gotten a lot of attention for her new image, which she premiered recently to correspond with her new album, “Can’t Be Tamed.” And at 17 years old, she is definitely pushing the envelope when it comes to what she’s wearing, how she performs, and what she’s singing about. From her pole-dancing move at last year’s Teen Choice Awards to her provocative performance featuring a girl-on-girl kiss on “Britain’s Got Talent,” Miley seems to be stirring up controversy wherever she goes.

That she’s shaking things up and trying to age-up her image as she tries to make the shift from tween sensation to young woman actress, singer, and performer is totally expected. It’s the backlash from her own fans that I find so surprising.

From the NY Times article:

Perry Hamm has adored Hannah Montana since the age of 8. At 9 she bought a ticket to “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” along with one of the 3 million soundtracks sold after the film’s debut. Last September, she scored one of the most coveted tickets among teenagers in 2009: Hannah Montana in concert.

But now, at 11, Perry’s enthusiasm for Ms. Cyrus has fizzled. She wishes Ms. Cyrus would ditch the tight T-shirts and Uggs for the sassy skirts her television persona wears. So last month, when Miley released her post-adolescent anthem, “Can’t Be Tamed,” her once-adoring fan was unimpressed, unmoved by, among other things, the singer’s sexy music video.

“It was weird,” Perry said of Ms. Cyrus’s bird wings and black ribbon corset. “I feel like she acts 25. She looks so old. She is too old for herself.”

While I’m glad for the insight and perspective of girls like Perry who question the young star’s wardrobe and behavior choices in recent months, I hate to think of all the girls who idolize Miley and want to emulate her every step of the way. Miley’s transformation then becomes just one more message in an overflowing pool of wrong messages…messages that tell girls that they should look or dress or be “sexy” to have value and worth.

No, I don’t think Miley, at 17, has a responsibility to all the young girls of the world, and I cannot imagine growing up in the spotlight and having every aspect of my behavior up for debate. But I do have to wonder what Miley’s hoping her sexy image will give her…approval? Acceptance? Love? Respect? If so, she’ll never find what she’s looking for. There’s only one way to achieve that goal, and it’s all about accepting ourselves for who we are, inside and out.

What are your thoughts on Miley’s sexual image?

Ah…If only I was sixteen again. Then I could apply to be an intern for one of my favorite magazines, New Moon Girls. Alas…I’ll have to be satisfied with sharing the opportunity with you!

New Moon Girls is currently accepting applications for talented interns ages 16 and up for Fall 2010 and Winter/Spring 2011. Their interns work with girl and adult editors to foster creative self-expression in girls ages 8+ worldwide. Though the magazine is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, you can work from the comfort of your own home and still gain real-world experience in many aspects of New Moon’s online community and magazine for girls and their website for parents of girls.

Interns will need to be able to work well independently, communicate well by email and Skype, be Internet-proficient, and have a computer with Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and broadband Internet access. Applications are due by August 1 for Fall and November 1 for Winter/Spring.

Interested? Apply online here!

And if you’re under the age of 16, but still want to get involved, you can sign up to be a New Moon Girls Volunteer, where you’ll have a chance to do things like spread the word online, create New Moon activities for teachers, host online chats, write guest blog posts, and much more.

I don’t typically write these kinds of posts, but an important voice for young girls - New Moon Magazine - is in jeopardy, and Smart Girls Know wants to help keep it alive. Aimed at girls ages 8-13, New Moon fills a void in the marketplace of media for girls by offering something unique and positive, something that empowers its readers in an authentic way.

There is so much I LOVE about the magazine. Here are just a few of my favorite things about New Moon:

• It is truly created by girls for girls - the magazine and site has an all-girl editorial board made up of girls ages 8-12 that drives the great content you’ll find inside and edits the magazine
• New Moon is 100% advertising free, so that means there’s no need to deal with the kinds of media images you’ll find in traditional girl and teen magazines that research shows makes girls feel insecure and less confident about themselves
• New Moon offers opportunities for interested girls to get published in each issue

All of these things are great, but what would a magazine be without fantastic content? New Moon has that in spades, too. New Moon is all about helping girls discover and honor their true selves, engage in meaningful pursuits and dialogue, and express their voices in ways that matter.

Because this magazine is ad-free, it counts on the support of funders and subscribers to keep it afloat. Right now New Moon is in a particularly difficult financial crunch, and its future is at stake.

To do our part, Smart Girls Know has become an affiliate of New Moon. As an affiliate, Smart Girls Know is offering a $10 discount off the price of a year subscription, which includes 12-month unlimited online access to New Moon’s informative site. Typically affiliates earn a commission on sales, but Smart Girls Know is forgoing its commission to support the future of the magazine. To take advantage of this special offer, click here.

If you feel so moved, please help Smart Girls Know make sure this distinct voice and outlet for girls doesn’t go away!

XOXO Debbie

Smart Girls Know would like to join Girls Inc. in celebrating Girls’ Rights Week! From May 3 – May 7, Girls Inc. is focused on girls promoting positive spaces for physical activity as part of their and their communities’ greater health and wellbeing.

As part of the week, the Girls Inc. National Scholars traveled to Washington, D.C. where they met with Susan Sher, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff, and Jocelyn Frye, Director of Policy and Projects in the Office of the First Lady, to present finding of Girls Inc. Healthy Girls, Healthy Communities, a project in which girls across the country examined the resources available in their communities to encourage physical activity and barriers that prevent girls from using these resources.

This week is also meant to bring awareness to Girls Bill of Rights - six statements that help girls envision a healthy, successful future and an equitable society. So without further ado, here they are:

• Girls have the right to be themselves and to resist gender stereotypes
• Girls have the right to express themselves with originality and enthusiasm
• Girls have the right to take risks, to strive freely, and to take pride in success
• Girls have the right to accept and appreciate their bodies
• Girls have the right to have confidence in themselves and be safe in the world
• Girls have the right to prepare for interesting work and economic independence

For more info on Girls’ Rights Week, visit the Girls Inc. website here!