Emma Gray

Millennial Women Don't Want Top Jobs, Says Study

2013-06-19T15:20:10-04:00

Millennial women may be saying "no" to the prospect of having high-powered jobs later on. A new study claims that young women just aren't very interested in being the top executives of high-profile companies, reported BusinessNews Daily.

The research, conducted by PR firm Zeno Group, found that only 15 percent of women between the ages of 21 and 33 have the desire to lead a "large or prominent organization." The reason? They aren't willing to make the personal compromises that they perceive female leaders being forced to make. And 90 percent of women surveyed believe that female executives are forced to make greater sacrifices than male executives.

The findings indicate that young women are acutely aware of the individual stressors female leaders face as well as the institutional barriers that women who are trying to get to the top grapple with. And instead of trying to claw their way up the ladder, many young women are choosing to opt out of -- or at least change -- the process.

These choices don't mean that young women aren't ambitious or excited about the work they do. In a November 2012 piece for the Washington Post, journalist Laura Stepp wrote:

Forget what you may think you know about our newest generation of working women. They are not the fretting, overstressed women we've been reading about for 20 or 30 years. They are as large or larger in number, better-educated, ambitious, optimistic and determined to enjoy a more well-rounded life than their mothers' generations, according to polls from The Washington Post and Pew Research Center.

Stepp went on to cite increasing technology and expectations of workplace flexibility as reasons these women have such a positive outlook on how they plan to weave their work and careers into the rest of their lives. It may simply be that until high-level, high-powered executive positions offer the sort of flexibility that these women seek, the women will continue to find those jobs undesirable.

Barby Siegel, the CEO of Zeno Group, told BusinessNews Daily that workplaces need to start changing in order to avoid missing out on strong female talent. "We need to think about doing things differently when helping millennial women develop their careers and weigh the sacrifices that may or may not be required," Siegel said. "The findings send a clear signal that we cannot operate business as usual."

We agree with The Grindstone's Carrie Murphy that this research doesn't indicate that we won't see any female CEOs in a few decades. There are plenty of women who are talented and willing to make the tradeoffs that reaching the C-suite in our current workplace culture often requires. However, it does signal a generational switch: Young people don't accept traditional corporate structures and the stress that comes along with them as givens. "What we're seeing with the information from this study is a cultural shift, evidence that women (and men, too!) aren't willing to sacrifice their happiness and personal life to excel in a workplace setting," wrote Murphy.

"There's no such thing as work-life balance. There are priorities," commented writer Nell Minow at The Huffington Post's recent Third Metric conference. Millennial women are thinking carefully about what theirs are.

'The Bachelorette' Season 9, Episode 4: Desiree Hartsock Finds Mr. America In Atlantic City

2013-06-17T19:51:43-04:00

The fourth episode of "The Bachelorette" should be renamed "How To Feign Excitement About New Jersey." Chris Harrison shows up at the remaining contestants' dude-bro pad in L.A. to inform them that Desiree has flown the coop to ... Atlantic City! While Des talks about how excited she is to be in the Dirty Jerz and waves to random police officers on the boardwalk, her man friends pack their bags and pile onto a plane. It's East Coast time.

Not Even A Carousel Can Save This Date
Brad -- the man known only for his sad single-dad/alcoholic-ex backstory -- gets the first one-on-one date. He and Des hang out on the Atlantic City boardwalk, ride the carousel and rollercoaster, eat lots of saltwater taffy and chocolate and giggle a lot. Des thinks Brad is now a totally different person since he opened up to her last episode. Back at the hotel, the other men sip rosé and stare out the giant windows of their penthouse, while discussing how Des and Brad are NOT a good match. That doesn't stop them from being supremely jealous, though. "Things always happen on the carousel," declares Zak W.

Back on the beach, Des and Brad stumble upon an expansive sandcastle which just happens to have cushions in the middle for them to sit on! (You've truly outdone yourselves, ABC interns.) Des and Brad stilted conversation and then they head to dinner -- which they don't actually eat -- and have even MORE stilted conversation. All we learn is that Brad likes to "chill" and thinks Des is "amazing." Everyone watching wishes that Des would just end this now and put us all out of our misery. But instead, she has Brad climb up many flights of stairs to the top of the lighthouse they're in before she sends him home, back to his son. "I want a love that can light the darkness, and I don't think Brad and I can have that love," says Des, making one of "The Bachelorette" franchise's signature way-too-obvious metaphors. She watches from the top of the lighthouse, looking slightly sad, as Brad gets taken away ... in a yellow cab. This is New Jersey, after all.

These Dudes Were Made For A Beauty Pageant
Brooks, Bryden, Zack K., Drew, Juan Pablo, Zak W., Mikey, Ben, Michael, Chris and Kasey get this week's group date, which by process of elimination means that James will get the final one-on-one. Group dates have consistently been the most entertaining part of this two-hour love journey/masochistic viewing experience, and this week's is no exception. The men arrive at a random building in AC, which we quickly learn is super historical (thanks, Chris Harrison!). It also is the place that the Miss America pageant is often held. Brooks is excited to see Des, because he thinks she's a "mystical unicorn," and Michael reveals his childhood dreams of being Mr. America. Lucky for Michael, this date is a pageant -- "Bachelorette"-style.

The pageant -- which will be in front of a real, live Atlantic City audience (in case anyone forgot, this episode takes place in Atlantic City) -- features a talent portion (turns out Juan Pablo is a master at the baton), a question portion and a bathing-suit portion (some of the dudes are given Speedos, while others get to wear trunks). Everyone is relieved to see that the producers knew to give Juan Pablo a Speedo. Some of the pageant highlights include:
--Kasey is a "giver, not a taker."
--Brooks would be a lion, the "king of the jungle" if he could be any animal.
--Juan Pablo apparently has a daughter ... whom we've never heard about before now.
--Mikey is a sensitive dude. "Most women see guys for their bodies," he says. "We cry inside, we like long walks on the beach."
--Kasey performs the best fake tap-dance routine I've ever seen.
--Brooks also embraces a fake-it-till-you-make-it attitude and pretends he knows how to play the ukulele. At the end of his performance, he smashes it. "I smashed a ukulele on stage. How many people can say that?"
--Ben ribbon-dances, Drew recites Shakespeare surprisingly well and Chris hula-hoops shirtless while wearing high heels. Who says the guys are talentless?
--Bryden essentially does a routine from "Magic Mike." The poor Atlantic City mayor who was roped into being a judge at this monstrosity of a pageant is not pleased.
--Zak W., who made a point of telling everyone he's not good at guitar or singing, performs an "original" song and he actually sounds pretty good.
--The swimsuit competition: There are no words to describe. Only photos.
--Brooks is crowned second runner-up, Zak W. is the first runner-up and Kasey wins the big crown.

The second half of the group date is basically just the dudes -- half-naked in a pool -- trying to get Des alone long enough to convince her to give them the group-date rose. We learn that Chris began going to coffee shops and writing poetry because he was "going through emotional stuff," back in the day. So naturally, he reads Des a poem he wrote about her. Ben is STILL not there to make friends and all of the other men are super angry that he dares to spend one-on-one time in their line of vision. (Seriously ... fakest villain ever.) Zak W. insists on performing the second half of the song he played for Des during the pageant, and this time it's just awkward. Which producer gave this guy a guitar? Reciting poetry and playing songs for women on national TV should just be banned -- even if you have a nice voice. However, Zak's musical efforts earn him a rose. Bryden, on the other hand, gets ZERO one-on-one time with Des, and he is not happy.

Nothing Says Romance Like The Wreckage Of A Natural Disaster
While most of the dudes are on the group date, James is lounging around the penthouse by himself eating chocolate-covered strawberries and taking a bubble bath. But his lap-of-luxury time comes to an abrupt end with the start of his date with Des. This is the PSA portion of "The Bachelorette," where the franchise reminds viewers that a terrible natural disaster called Hurricane Sandy occurred last year, and the J-Shore is still recovering. Des and James still get to go on a helicopter ride, but this time they're flying over utter destruction, accompanied by a Red Cross lady. How romantic and not-at-all tacky! As the couple gets out of the helicopter and onto the streets of Seaside Heights (yes, the same Seaside Heights of MTV "Jersey Shore" fame), Desiree suddenly realizes that Sandy impacted people's lives.

Des and James meet a real-life couple, Jan and Manny, whose house was destroyed in the hurricane, and it really is heartbreaking. Des and James get emotional, and because they are such "good people," they "give" the second half of their date to Jan and Manny, who had to spend their 38th anniversary in a Red Cross shelter. It's nice to see ABC giving these people a beautiful dinner, a limo ride and their restored wedding album, but I was seriously hoping that the show would just pay for them to get a new house in exchange for being used as romantic fodder. While Jan and Manny enjoy their date, Des and James end up at a bar drinking beer and eating pizza -- which looks great! (Obligatory reminder that Desiree was poor when she was growing up.) James reveals that he once cheated on his GF of five and a half years ... when he was a freshman in college. It's unclear why this is so relevant, since it's been about 10 years since then, but Des appreciates his honesty and wonders if he'll have a problem with "temptation."

After their pizza, Des and James meet up with Manny and Jan, who give the pair their marital seal of approval. "Those two are the epitome of weathering a storm," says James, and all of America cringes. Then both couples are treated to a private Darius Rucker concert, and James KNOWS he made the right decision to leave his sick father at home to go on reality TV. Cue a rose and a make-out session.

Sparkles, Doubts And Acrostic Poems
Des shows up to this week's cocktail party clad in even more sparkles than last week! (Desiree is seriously giving Emily Maynard a run for her money.) But Bryden, the Iraq War vet from Missouri, is feeling uncertain about this "process." He thinks his feelings are "falling behind" where they should be and needs to talk it out with Des ... or take himself out of the running. He might NOT accept a rose this week -- the horror!

While Bryden questions everything, Michael tells Des he has a "gesture" for her. By gesture, he means he wrote an acrostic poem of reasons he likes her -- which luckily for everyone, only goes as far as D-E-S. Des makes out with him, possibly just to stop him from reciting more poetry. (Also, he has a splint on his thumb. What happened?) After the poetry sesh, Chris pulls Des aside to talk about her family, her humble upbringing and how independent she is. Then the conversation veers into extremely weird territory and they end up talking about how they're "BFFs" and pinky-swearing. They also make out, presumably to end the awkward banter. Finally, after much pensive staring, Bryden talks to Des about his concerns. Des tells him that she wants him to stay and hopes he'll give the whole thing another chance. Bryden leaves the convo feeling a bit better, but still uncertain.

An Adorable Publisher Bites The Dust
Des thanks the guys for being so "open" and letting her be herself. But one of the men has to go home in addition to single dad Brad, so...
SAFE: Chris, Brooks, Juan Pablo, Drew, Michael, Ben, Kasey, Bryden (who DOES accept the rose) ... and Mikey. (Zak W. and James have roses already.)
ELIMINATED: Zack K., the cute one we never got to see who works in publishing. Zack is very shocked, even though no one watching is. I do, however, start to question Des' taste. A cute, single man in publishing is hard to find.

Next Week, In Munich -- The Land Of "Castles And Sausages"...
Munich! Selfies! Sledding! Dancing! Champagne! Make-outs! Ballroom dancing! Sparkles! Falling in love! James isn't here for the right reasons! Igloo! Someone feels sick! Des will be crushed! Ben is a fraud! Blow-ups! Armageddon!

LOOK: The Best Tweets About This Week's 'Bachelorette'

Women's Magazines vs. 'Serious' Publications -- Can You Tell The Difference?

2013-06-17T13:32:33-04:00

Can women's magazines produce "serious" journalism? That is the question posed -- and answered affirmatively -- by Jessica Grose in a piece for the New Republic published Monday.

Last week, Port Magazine (a publication that most people probably hadn't heard of before this all happened) published its summer issue. The cover featured six white dude magazine editors under the headline "A New Golden Age." When Gawker asked Port's editor-in-chief, Dan Crowe, about the lack of racial and gender diversity, Crowe said that Anna Wintour had declined to participate in the shoot, and that "it is a shame there isn’t, for example, a gay person or a black woman editor in there, but unfortunately these are not the people editing these magazines." According to Grose, "This reveals another pernicious assumption: that what women’s magazines publish is not as influential or important as what men’s and general interest magazines publish."

Of course, women's magazines have long traded in some content that is not serious, or meant to be -- and been rewarded financially for doing so. There's a reason that Cosmopolitan with its racy cover lines like "Hot Summer Sex Tricks" and "Flatten Your Belly" has one of the highest circulations of any magazine in the world. However, to discount the deeply-researched, skillfully-written features often published in women-focused publications is to do female writers, reporters, editors and both male and female readers a huge disservice.

We started wondering if we would even be able to distinguish between the lede of a women's mag feature and the lede of a feature written about sex, health or politics in a publication considered more "serious." Not really. Honestly, the only difference between a lot of these pieces seems to be which glossy pages they were printed between.

QUIZ: Women's Magazine Or "Serious" Magazine?

Lindsay Mills, Edward Snowden's Girlfriend, Becomes An Internet Sensation: 6 Ridiculous Things That Have Been Said About Her

2013-06-12T11:23:38-04:00

Lindsay Mills became famous this week -- not because of anything she did, but because of the man she dated. She was identified as the girlfriend of Edward Snowden, the man who claimed responbility for leaking classified documents about the National Security Agency's secret surveillance program to The Guardian and The Washington Post.

The colorful details of her life -- she has pole danced, she has an uber-emo blog, she's a member of Waikiki's Acrobatic Troupe, she moved to Hawaii to be with Snowden -- are ripe for media attention. (Jezebel commented that her story "reads like escapist fan fiction," and we have to agree.) So it's no surprise that some media outlets have chosen to describe Mills in an ... interesting ... way, painting her as Snowden's manic pixie dream girl.

Here are six of the most absurd descriptions we've read so far:

1. "[Snowden] shared his life with a woman of fiery colour." We assume that The Telegraph is simply trying to convey that she has red hair?

2. "As for Lindsay Mills, it’s fair to say she possesses several physical qualities that are commonly associated with being hot." Breaking news! Edward Snowden had a conventionally attractive girlfriend!

3. "This hero [Snowden] could be spending some quality time with this flexible, uninhibited, talented beauty." EveryJoe apparently saw into Lindsay Mills' soul through her photos...

4. "She is an extrovert who enjoys walking around naked whenever she can." Way to highlight the relevant details, Daily Mail.

5. "Edward Snowden allegedly left behind a gorgeous -- and now completely disconsolate -- girlfriend." Looks come first, always.

6. "The man behind the stunning leaks of top secret National Security Agency documents is no stranger to bombshells. Edward Snowden, 29, ... abandoned a knockout girlfriend." Bombshells. Get it?

At the end of the day, Lindsay Mills is not a manic pixie dream girl or a character in someone's poorly written spy novel -- she's a young woman in her 20s whose boyfriend seems to have just up and left her for Hong Kong, leaving a national scandal in his wake -- a woman who is being obsessively hounded by the media for something she likely had no involvement in.

Here's hoping that Lindsay Mills eventually gets some of her privacy back so that she can dance or walk around naked or swim in a waterfall without the world watching.

This video, while by no means the worst out there, is just one of many "photo diary" mashups of Mills floating around the Internet.

'Pretty Little Liars' Food Horror Video Reveals The Show's Eating Issues

2013-06-11T06:56:38-04:00

"Pretty Little Liars," ABC Family's addictive teen soap opera/thriller has a problem -- a food problem.

The hit show centers around the lives of four best friends in the fictional East Coast town of Rosewood. The young women are tormented by the murder of their close friend Alison and a group of anonymous stalkers who call themselves "A." Graham Kolbeins, a self-described "big fan" of "Pretty Little Liars," created a mashup that explores the show's relationship with food on the blog Future Shipwreck -- and, spoiler alert, it's not a great one.

The video, titled "Food Horror," splices together every scene from the first three seasons in which food is treated as an object of disgust or terror. These instances are separate from the more explicit food-issue-based storyline from Season 1 in which one of the main characters, Hannah, is revealed to have formerly struggled with bulimia. Kolbeins writes:

In "Food Horror," I set out to examine the many moments in "Pretty Little Liars’" first three seasons that stigmatize food, whether it’s presented with a feeling of unease, danger, or overt rejection. Aside from the 16 minutes of “food horror” I’ve compiled above, there are a countless dining scenes where food is conspicuously absent -- often supplanted by the girls’ favorite diuretic, coffee. Sometimes they simply sit in front of a plate of prop salad and ignore it.
...
It’s important to consider cultural messaging about health, body image and beauty embedded within entertainment targeting young girls. In 2012, Internet outrage lead social networks like Tumblr and Pinterest to adopt policies censoring individuals with eating disorders from sharing “thinspiration” tips. Silencing these organic online communities is an easy way to feel like we’re addressing eating disorders, but it does nothing to fix the systemic problems that allow body shame to permeate for-profit entertainment products aimed at women.

As Jezebel's Dodai Stewart pointed out, the video is pretty entertaining to watch, but the real problem with "Pretty Little Liars'" wonky treatment of food is the subtle messages it might be sending to the show's largely teen audience.

This doesn't mean we should all stop watching "Pretty Little Liars" -- after all, it makes a great weeknight guilty pleasure -- but it is a reminder that TV shows and movies aimed at teenage girls need to do better when it comes to presenting characters' relationships with food. Unfortunately we live in a society that often equates' women's value with their looks, and specifically their weight. Teenagers don't need to be told to be ashamed of eating during their Tuesday night TV time.

[H/T Jezebel]

'The Bachelorette' Season 9, Episode 3: Desiree Hartsock Loves Dodgeball And Cowboys

2013-06-10T19:41:30-04:00

The third installment of Desiree's search for a man-child fiance includes three games of dodgeball, five fake cowboys and one lying contestant. Welcome to true love, y'all.

Chris Harrison opens the third episode by popping by the "Bachelorette" mansion and informing the remaining dudes that there will be two group dates and just one one-on-one date this week. Chris, Brian, Drew, Michael, Brooks, Brad, Mikey, Brandon, Zack K. and Ben get the first group date. We're all reminded that everyone still hates Ben for stealing time with Des last week -- especially Michael.

Not Your Grandfather's Dodgeball
The men pile into cars and head over to the site of the first group date. They all think Des looks "amazing" and "gorgeous" and "hot." Shockingly, she thinks they're "amazing." How amazing! Before they can get too caught up in a compliment cycle, a garage door opens, revealing a team of intense-looking professional dodgeballers. Their fearless leader gives a monotone speech about how serious dodgeball is, and all of Des' suitors are thoroughly intimidated. Des is excited to see the men compete and interact "in their natural state," which appears to mean playing fifth-grade-recess games while wearing sweatbands. "Balls are flying!" exclaims Zack K., and Twitter explodes with "balls" jokes.

The men are split into two teams (Mikey, Michael, Brooks, Chris and Brandon on the Red Team vs. Ben, Brad, Zack, Brian and Drew on the Blue Team) and change into man tanks, tiny shorts and knee socks. Michael explains that "this isn't my grandfather's dodgeball." He also expresses concern about the balls flying around his face and I resist making a "Clueless" reference out loud while alone in my room. The Blue Team wins the first dodgeball game, and the Red Team wins the second round. Before they can finish their third and final game, Brooks hurts his finger and has to be transported to the hospital to have it set, which, judging from the look on Des' face, is the most serious injury she's ever witnessed. After Brooks' dramatic exit, Zack wins it all for the Blue Team, but Des decides to take all of her suitors on to the second half of the date -- even the dodgeball losers.

While Brooks is sad and hooked up to oxygen for some reason at the hospital, Des is drinking on a rooftop with the rest of the group-date guys. During this installment of Who Has A Sadder Backstory:
--Brad reveals his "haunting" past which includes a 3-year-old son named Maddox and an alcoholic ex who once slapped him with a (false) domestic violence charge and restraining order. Totally not too much to discuss on a second date, right?
--Chris stares anxiously at the rose for 10 minutes before finally pulling Des aside to a "secret" spot on the roof. He tells Des that he's 100 percent not skeptical about finding true love on reality TV now.
--Brooks shows up looking like a woozy, bandaged mess, but Des is clearly into him. "I love my conversations with Brooks," she says, as they say three words to each other and make out.
--Des ends up giving the rose to Chris, and they slow-dance and kiss during a "private" concert. However, all the other guys are able to creepily watch from another part of the rooftop and get jealous, so apparently it's not that private.
--Chris thinks his time on "The Bachelorette" is a "fairy tale." Maybe he and Des are meant to be...

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned (On TV)
Des is pensively sketching on her couch, as women do, when she receives a not-at-all-obviously staged phone call from Chris Harrison informing her that he has some "bizarre" news about one of the guys and she must drive over to the mansion in her mint Bentley to confront him immediately! This is NOT a game, says Des. Meanwhile, Kasey, who is supposed to have the one-on-one date, is blissfully unaware that his perfect day is about to be derailed. Apparently, Brian, the dashing young man who has a penchant for hot pink V-necks, has a girlfriend and has been lying to Des this whole time. Not cool, Brian. Not cool.

Des pulls Brian aside and asks him if he's really serious about this process. Bri digs himself into a deep hole by saying things like "My past relationship ... was over a long time ago," and then Chris Harrison arrives with his GF, Stephanie, in tow. She immediately hugs Des and begins berating Brian. We learn that the pair may or may not still be dating, Stephanie is a single mom, she once threw rocks at Brian and they slept together two days before he came on "The Bachelorette," which she thought was a "business trip." Des decides that Brian is not there for the "right reasons," so she has him escorted to his room by the camera crew and he leaves for good.

Right Reasons, Wrong Date
After Brian-gate, Brandon begins crying because he was once abandoned by men who dated his single mom. Obviously, Brian's "betrayal" is all about him. Meanwhile, Kasey, Desiree's next date, proclaims that he IS here for the right reasons. He and Des ride off into downtown LA where they see some people dancing while suspended on the side of a glass building. Naturally, the couple will be joining them!

They get harnessed up and start "Bandalooping," but Des' heart just isn't in it. She tries to salvage the date with some rooftop champagne and swimming but the wind knocks everything over and the pool is freezing. They make out briefly in the water while shivering with towels on their heads, but the date ends with the pair huddled for warmth in a stairwell. Clearly Mother Nature is telling all of us that Kasey and Des are not meant to be, but he ends up getting an "A for Effort" rose anyway.

In Which Juan Pablo Fulfills Our Collective Cowboy Fantasies
The second group date is definitely my favorite of the season. Zak W., Bryden, Dan, James and Juan Pablo join Des for a day of cowboy stunts and Wild West reenactments. It gives Zak W. lots of time to remind everyone he's from Texas ("Yee haw!") and gives ABC plenty of opportunities to plug "The Lone Ranger," a movie which almost no one watching "The Bachelorette" wants to see.

Here are some of the best moments of this date:
--Des says "Learn not to mess with a lady," after she pretends to kick a stuntman off a balcony.
--All of the dudes dress up in cowboy outfits and become infinitely more attractive.
--They compete in an acting challenge where they "draw their pistols" and "fight for justice."
--Des thinks they all did "so good" (her grammar does less well), but Juan Pablo wins the challenge and gets to see a private screening of "The Lone Ranger" with Desiree.
--Juan Pablo's win is a win for everyone. He has never been hotter and everyone watching hopes that he will never stop speaking.
--Turns out that Juan Pablo's voice is second only to his intense kissing technique. Way to be, JP.
--Post-screening, all of the men and Des drink cocktails out of Mason jars by the fire, like the hipster cowboys they are.
--Bryden and Des talk up in a tree. "When we kiss it's ... it's awesome," says Bryden, who's deep.
--Zak tells Des that she's "easy to like" and "makes things fun." He's also apparently "love drunk."
--James and Des cuddle under a blanket and are apparently "so similar!" (Unclear what these similarities are.) James reveals that his dad is sick and that he's not confident. This earns him a rose and an ego boost.

How Many Brawny Bros Can Fit In One Tiny Pool?
Chris Harrison cancels the cocktail party, but they get a pool party instead! Wooo! Bathing-suit party time! Before Des can come greet her half-naked swarm of men, Ben sneaks out and persuades her to take him and his spaghetti-strap tank top for a ride in her Bentley. He doesn't want to be put in the "dad zone." The other dudes eventually see Ben and Des making out in her car and they are NOT happy. Especially Michael, because, in case you've forgotten, he HATES Ben. In addition to Ben being cast as the (seriously tame) villain yet again...
--Dan tries to woo Des with a pizza. (Dan, I'd totally be won over by that.)
--Mikey and Michael confront Ben ... for the fourth time. "It's called 'The Bachelorette' for a reason," says Ben. "It's not called 'I'm Here To Make Friends.'" Burn.
--Brandon opens up a little too much to Des about his daddy-figure abandonment issues and his blooming love for her. Everyone watching just wants him to stop embarrassing himself.
--Somehow all the men end up in one tiny hot tub at exactly the moment Des is called away by Chris Harrison.

The Final Rose Ends In Tears
Brandon feels "really confident" and is wearing pinstripes going into the rose ceremony, which means he will certainly be eliminated. Chris Harrison reminds everyone that Brian left because he had a girlfriend and I am distracted by the mound of jewels on Desiree's neckline.
SAFE: Bryden, Juan Pablo, Zak W., Brooks, Drew, Zack K., Brad, Michael, Mikey ... and Ben. (James, Kasey and Chris got roses earlier in the episode.)
ELIMINATED: Dan and Brandon. Dan is "bummed," but Brandon is "crushed." He has such sad puppy eyes that I start to feel genuinely sorry for him, or maybe just sorry that he is saying things like "I can't even cry -- I'm just out of tears" on national TV.

Next Week...
Atlantic City! Bungee! Des makes out with Drew! Sandcastles! More kissing! Private concert! Love! Mr. America! Dancing! Men in Speedos! Guys clapping! Ben isn't here to make friends! Bryden hates Ben! Bryden talks to Des!

LOOK: The Best Tweets About This Week's "Bachelorette"

Resource, Nestle's Premium Water, Is For 'Trendy,' 'Higher-Income' Women

2013-06-10T11:03:40-04:00

Haven't you always said to yourself, you know what the world needs? "High-end" bottled water for ladies.

We thought so. Luckily, Nestle is here to fill the apparent void in the current "premium bottled water" market.

Nestle's Resource will join other bottled-water brands like Fiji Water and Evian trying to capitalize on the "ladies who lunch" demographic, reported The New York Times. Upon seeing the piece in the print version of the Times, New York Daily News editor Josh Greenman tweeted his faux joy:

Finally. twitter.com/joshgreenman/s…
— Josh Greenman (@joshgreenman) June 10, 2013

According to Resource's group marketing manager, Larry Cooper, the ideal consumer of Resource water is "a woman who is a little more on the trendy side and higher-income side, and the bull’s-eye is 35 years old." To promote the water's status, the brand will be featured on "America's Next Top Model" and endorsed by Bobbie Thomas on the "Today" show.

(We seriously doubt that overpriced bottled water will enlighten anyone.)

Beyond the obvious fact that paying extra for "high-end" water is completely ridiculous -- honestly, we're pretty upset that premium water is even a thing at all -- we're ready to see advertisers market big-ticket items like cars and mortgages to female consumers, not just supposedly healthier, purer H20.

If we're going to be subjected to absurd ad campaigns that feature interpretive dancer yogis, let's have them for products that female consumers need and can afford. There's nothing new about marketing high end, "healthy" food and drink to women. Treating them like they make the major purchasing decisions they do? That would be near revolutionary.

Female Villains: Here Are Our 7 Favorite 'Bad' Women In Movies

2013-06-07T11:30:43-04:00

Badass lady villains are few and far between.

As Dan Wohl at The Mary Sue pointed out this week, there are plenty of men who grace the silver screen as menacing, formidable "bad guys," but not so many women. He argues that it's just as important to have interesting, "bad" female characters on-screen as it is to have interesting, strong, "good" female characters.

He writes:

Having female characters in films shouldn’t be about getting in a few nice, positive moments for women and then calling it a day. It should be about naturally having an equal distribution of genders in film roles.
...
Contemporary writers have proven adept at imbuing male villains with humanity that might not have existed in the past, so the idea that their hands would be tied when crafting a female one is not very credible. (Or maybe we just need different writers.)

Wohl's piece made us think about the female villains movies have featured -- and the ones we love to hate most. We present to you our seven favorite women villains in film. Filmmakers: More like these, please.

Katharine Parker in "Working Girl" (Sigourney Weaver)

Parker is a high-powered female boss who is just as ruthless in business and in love as men are. She makes a formidable match for Melanie Griffith's Tess McGill. "This is one for the bad girls, I guess," Weaver said when she accepted a well-deserved Golden Globe for the role. We approve.

Mystique in the "X-Men" series (Rebecca Romijn, Jennifer Lawrence)

Now there's a villain with a humanizing backstory. Jennifer Lawrence's version of Mystique was one of the "good guys" in the 2011 "X-Men: First Class" film, but she'll be a major antagonist in the next one. We're excited to watch her go to the "dark side" while feeling emotionally attached to the character.

Regina George in "Mean Girls" (Rachel McAdams)

Any character who has one-liners like "Get in loser, we're going shopping" and has a Burn Book is bound to be entertaining. Regina George is a diabolical teen girl genius -- and we love it.

Cruella De Vil in "101 Dalmations" (Betty Lou Gerson, Glenn Close)

The woman wants to kill dozens of puppies purely to make herself a new fur coat. Now that's evil.

Also, she has the world's best theme song.

Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada" (Meryl Streep)

Proof that Meryl Streep can play a villain just as artfully as she plays a heroine. You can't not shiver when you see Miranda Priestly's icy stare.

Ursula in "The Little Mermaid" (Pat Carroll)

Ursula knows what she wants and isn't afraid to steal Ariel's voice permanently to get it. She also uses dead sea creatures for makeup. What a terrifying animated character.

O-Ren-Ishi in "Kill Bill" (Lucy Liu)

She's a deadly assassin and martial arts expert who cuts off one of her male subordinates' heads when he mouths off and insults her heritage. Now that's a badass female villain.

Who are your favorite female "bad (not) guys"? Let us know in the comments!

BDSM Correlated With Better Mental Health, Says Study

2013-06-05T11:56:19-04:00

People who are into kinky sex may be psychologically healthier than those who are not, says a new study. Researchers found that people who were involved in BDSM -- bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism -- scored better on certain indicators of mental health than those who did not bring kink into the bedroom, reported LiveScience.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in May, surveyed 902 people who practice BDSM and 434 people who prefer so-called "vanilla" (non-kinky) sex. Each person filled out questionnaires regarding their personalities, general well-being, sensitivity to rejection and style of attachment in relationships. The participants were not aware of the purpose of the study.

Despite past assumptions that BDSM proclivities might be correlated with previous abuse, rape or mental disorders (research has shown that they're not), this survey found that kinky people actually scored better on many indicators of mental health than those who didn't practice BDSM, reported LiveScience. According to Reuters, BDSM-friendly participants were found to be less neurotic, more open, more aware of and sensitive to rejection, more secure in their relationships and have better overall well-being.

Andreas Wismeijer, a psychologist at Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands and the lead author on the study, told LiveScience that people involved in the BDSM community may have scored better on these surveys because they tend to be more aware of and communicative about their sexual desires, or because they have done some "hard psychological work" to accept and live with sexual needs that are beyond the scope of what is often considered socially acceptable to discuss in the mainstream.

This research isn't necessarily representative of the general population since participants were selected on a volunteer basis, but it does support the argument for removing BDSM from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In the current DSM, BDSM fetishes are listed as "paraphilia," which essentially encompasses any "unusual" sexual preferences.

Fetish communities have argued for years that harmless sexual tastes should not be listed next to mental disorders. Perhaps this research will help bolster their case.

Swiffer Says It Will Remove Rosie The Riveter Images From Its Ads

2013-06-04T13:08:33-04:00

After complaints over Swiffer's use of the famed Westinghouse Electric "We Can Do It!" image to sell cleaning products, the company has agreed to remove the offending ads.

The image depicted a Rosie the Riveter-like figure and was spotted by Heather Beschizza over the weekend:

Many felt that the image was insulting and sexist. Boing Boing's publisher Jason Weisberger remarked, "I love the clear tribute to an important historical image done in such a way as to piss on its legacy."

In an email to The Huffington Post, a Swiffer spokesperson wrote:

We are aware of the concerns regarding an image in a Swiffer ad. Our core purpose is to make cleaning easier for all consumers, regardless of who is behind the handle of our products. It was not our intention to offend any group with the image, and we are working to make changes to where it is used as quickly as possible.

We're glad to see that Swiffer is taking responsibility and responding to its consumers.

Peter Heck, Eastern High School Commencement Speaker: We Don't Need Women CEOs, We Need Invested Mothers

2013-06-04T11:36:36-04:00

A commencement speaker's comments about women in the workplace has caused some controversy in Greentown, Ind.

Peter Heck, a social studies teacher, delivered the commencement speech at Eastern High School on Sunday, June 2, reported Indianapolis' RTV6. According to the local news station, Heck spoke to the graduating high school seniors about work and family but put a specific focus on the female students' responsibilities. He said:

I challenge you to devote yourself to your families and your children. If you choose to have a career, God's blessings upon you. But I challenge you to recognize what the world scoffs at, that your greatest role in your life will be that of wife and mother. The greatest impact you could ever contribute to our world is a loving investment in the lives of your precious children. To solve the problems plaguing our society, we don't need more women CEOs. We need more women as invested mothers.

The Eastern High School community seemed split on Heck's message. "It jumped out at me that he said they shouldn't pursue a professional career," junior Corey Parton told RTV6. "Maybe that's not how he meant it ... but it was a little out of place." But junior Marina Swaggerty appreciated the speech. "It was good that he said that. Parents need to be there for their kids. Lately people are getting too into their jobs and not caring enough about their kids," she said.

Heck's comments come on the heels of the rising popularity of Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" message and a Pew report stating that the number of working mother breadwinners has increased. Now women are the primary financial providers in 40 percent of households with children.

This isn't the first time Heck has expressed disdain for shifting gender dynamics. In a blog post from July 2012 in the wake of the Aurora shooting, Heck described the present day as "an age where we too often yield to the idiotic sniveling of modern feminism that suggests there is no place in our enlightened society for men to act as 'protectors' of women -- – indeed, they suggest that it is insulting and demeaning for [men] to do so."

What do you think of Heck's speech? Let us know in the comments.

Click over to RTV6's TheIndyChannel.com to read more about the Eastern High School controversy.

'The Bachelorette' Season 9, Episode 2: Desiree Hartsock And Soulja Boy Are There For The Right Reasons

2013-06-03T18:36:39-04:00

Welcome to "The Bachelorette": Soulja Boy edition, in which men we hope will never rap or dance again perform an offense to hip hop. But before we can get to the ruin of an art form, Chris Harrison has to explain some "Bachelorette"-dating basics to Desiree's 19 remaining suitors. They all nod and pretend they've never seen the show in their lives, and then Brooks becomes the first dude to get a one-on-one date. Also, Des STILL feels like a princess in a fairy tale (duh).

Wearing A Wedding Dress On Your First Date Is Totally Normal
Des pulls up to the house in her Bentley and is SO excited to see all of her potential future temporary fiancees in slightly too-tight v-neck tees and khakis, which she refers to as "normal clothes." As Des and Brooks drive off into the California sunshine, the other dudes are definitely jealous of him. This date is meant to give Brooks a taste of Desiree's life, so their first stop is at a bridal shop, which is not weird at all on a first date! (In case you've forgotten because Des' career is never mentioned, she's an aspiring wedding dress designer and was working at a boutique before Sean's season.) To make things extra not-at-all-uncomfortable, the couple dresses up in wedding gear and takes selfies. "This could be really awkward," says Des, a.k.a. Captain Obvious. But Brooks just feels like he's really getting to know who Des is ... by trying on clothing with her.

After making a pit stop at the cupcake truck and getting mobbed by women with iPhones, Des and Brooks head up to the Hollywood sign and talk about how L.A. is the best. (Sounds like the city gave the show an extra lovely tax break.) Brooks gives Des his jacket, and this confirms that she's still in a fairy tale. "[The Hollywood sign] represents everyone wanting to come here," says Des, being deep. Then we're treated to our first "opening up" sesh of the episode, in which Brooks talks about his past relationship and how he's ready to find love and/or heartbreak again. Then they make out still dressed in wedding clothes.

Luckily they change their outfits for the end of the date, and Des drives them into a "shady" area with a closed road. Crazy enough, this is planned, because they're having a private dinner on a bridge! They sip champagne, discuss their difficult childhoods (Brooks' parents are divorced, a rarity among "Bachelorette" contestants), and after Brooks gets a rose for being so "open" and "vulnerable," they make out and watch a surprise private concert from the Andy Grammer band.

"Right Reasons": The Rap Song That Should Never Have Existed

(Source: ABC)

Back at the mansion, the dudes are going stir-crazy until the second date card arrives. It reads, "Who's here for the right reasons?" Dave, Juan Pablo, Zack K., Will, Brian, Drew, James, Mikey, Zak W, Nick, Michael, Brandon, Ben and Kasey are selected to go on the group date. Des worries about juggling 14 men, so naturally the producers had to bring in Soulja Boy for backup. Des likes to be "goofy," so she's going to make 14 rhythm-challenged men star in a rap video called "Right Reasons." They dress up, and the men (95 percent of whom are the whitest white boys in existence) attempt to rap their lines and dance, while Des grooves in a bikini. After this date, "The Bachelorette" franchise owes the hip hop community an apology.

(Warning: Watch this video at your own peril -- I'm permanently scarred by it.)

As everyone watching tries to stop hearing "right reasons! right reasons!" on a loop in their heads, Desiree's suitors gear up for the nighttime/conversations portion of the date. Here are some highlights:
--Zak W. (a.k.a. half-naked man from last week) shows his deeper side and gives Des an antique journal. It's actually really sweet and definitely the best gift anyone has given since I've been watching "The Bachelor"/"The Bachelorette."
--Ben steals Des away and chats with her about his adorable child, and Des says becoming his kid's second Mommy doesn't scare her. Naturally, they make out.
--Michael G. is totally here for the "right reasons." He tells Des he'll always have her back.
--Ben apparently has already been cast as the villain by the other dudes. He doesn't seem to do anything all that bad, but Mikey pulls him aside for a man-to-man talk.
--Brandon decides he needs to be more aggressive, so he grabs Des for a chat about his sad, sad childhood. (Apparently all of Des' men need to have sob stories.) Turns out that his dad left when he was 5, and Brandon basically raised all of his siblings. Now he "can't wait" to have kids of his own... preferably with Des.
--Ben gets the rose, the other dudes are super pissed off. "It definitely hurt," says Mikey.

"Just Kiss Me Already!"
Bryden gets the final one-on-one date of the week and appears psyched, even though he doesn't have much of a personality. Des pulls up in her Bentley, and they're off on a road trip! "She looks amazing, the car looks amazing," comments Bryden. They talk more about how awesome the state of California is, since Bryden's a good ol' boy from Montana and has never been to Cali until now. On their "road trip," they take selfies on a beach, fly a kite, eat tacos, pick oranges and have dinner at a hotel in Ojai.

Unsurprisingly, during dinner Bryden "opens up" about his sob story. Turns out he was in a horrific car accident as a teenager and just happens to have photos of the wrecked car and of himself in the hospital in his pocket. Des pretends that this is sweet instead of incredibly weird, and naturally the visuals earn him a rose. After dinner, they retreat to a private pool, and Bryden blathers on for 10 minutes saying "this is awesome," "it's really awesome," "you're awesome" until Des has finally had enough of his non-substantive talking and yells, "Just kiss me already!" (Dude, you're on "The Bachelorette." Don't you know that sucking face always comes after a champagne meal?) Bryden complies with Des' request, and they make out.

Type 1 Diabetes Always Livens Up A Cocktail Party
Everyone's feeling on edge except for Ben, who couldn't be giddier. Des arrives dressed up in a gown that makes her look like a mermaid who tried too hard. Michael G. really wants a rose, so he decides to snag some time with Des and disclose his tragic case of Type 1 diabetes. Unfortunately, his "feel sorry for me and connected to me" story gets interrupted by Ben, who already has a rose and is doing nothing to better his reputation in the house.

While Ben and Des make out, Michael angrily recounts Ben's interrupting ways to the rest of the guys. This revelation leads them to form a crew and confront Ben yet again. "I'm here for Des," says Ben, but Michael will never forgive him for ruining his poignant Diabetes story. After things settle down, Brian sees his chance for alone time with Desiree and to ensure that he gets it, physically picks her up and carries her outside. We learn that his last relationship ended a few months ago, but emotionally it ended sooner. He only stayed with the girl because it was "comfortable." Des totally can relate.

"Bachelorette" Drama Is Chris Harrison-Approved
Chris Harrison arrives to "break up the party" and start the rose ceremony. He assures everyone that having drama is a REALLY good thing because it means they're taking their journey and true love very seriously. "It's fun looking at you guys," says Des, clearly taking everything very seriously.

SAFE: James, Kasey, Dan, Juan Pablo, Brad (who??), Chris, Brian, Zak W., Drew, Mikey, Zack, Michael G. and Brandon. (Ben, Brooks and Bryden all have roses already. Apparently, Des likes "B" names.)
ELIMINATED: Will (obviously we say goodbye to the token black man during the second episode), Robert (sad to see such a pretty face go so early, but according to Des' Twitter, he used to date one of her friends, so...) and Nick (he's shocked, but viewers are not since we've never seen him).

Next Week...
Make-outs! Horses! Costumes! Fairy tale! Cinderella! Pools! More kisses! Abs! Jealousy! Ben is deceitful! Ben is shady! Men in tank tops! Ambulance! Another woman! Someone's girlfriend arrives! Someone is a cheating pig!

LOOK: The Best Tweets About This Week's "Bachelorette"

Swiffer Ad Uses Rosie The Riveter To Encourage Women To Clean The Kitchen (PHOTO)

2013-06-03T14:46:36-04:00

When Westinghouse Electric told U.S. women, "We can do it!," to boost worker morale in 1943, we're pretty sure they didn't have household chores in mind. But now, Swiffer is appropriating the famous symbol of female economic power in an ad campaign to sell their cleaning products.

Over the weekend Boing Boing caught Heather Beschizza's tweet about the ad. "We can do it! Because cleaning kitchens is a woman's work," she tweeted, along with a photo.

Some have called the image insulting and sexist, since the original Rosie the Riveter poster, created during WWII, was intended to promote women working outside of the home and has come to represent strong women in all spheres. Boing Boing's Rob Beschizza quoted the site's publisher Jason Weisberger, "I love the clear tribute to an important historical image done in such a way as to piss on its legacy." And ThinkProgress' Annie-Rose Strasser pointed out that the advertisement's timing is particularly poor given the recent news that American working moms are the primary breadwinners in 40 percent of households with kids.

Next time you want to market to women, be a little more creative and a little less insulting, Swiffer. You can do it!

UPDATE: 6/3 6:29 p.m. -- We received an email from a Swiffer spokesperson with the following note:

We are aware of the concerns regarding an image in a Swiffer ad. Our core purpose is to make cleaning easier for all consumers, regardless of who is behind the handle of our products. It was not our intention to offend any group with the image, and we are working to make changes to where it is used as quickly as possible.

[H/T ThinkProgress]

Sleep Deprivation And Sex: Tired Men Think Women Are More Interested Than They Actually Are

2013-05-31T15:18:47-04:00

Tired men may be more likely to overestimate how interested a woman is in them sexually, says a new study. Researchers found that just one night of sleep deprivation made men's perception of women's sexual interest and intent increase significantly.

The study used a 60-person sample of college students, so it would take more research to know if the results are true of the general population, but some of the take-aways are interesting.

The study was conducted like this: Participants were asked to rate their agreement with a series of statements about their own sexual interest and intentions, and the sexual interest and intent of men and women in general, such as: "When a woman goes out to a bar, how likely is it that she is interested in finding someone to have sex with that night?”

Jennifer Peszka, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Hendrix College and the lead author on the study, summed up the study's results in a press release for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine:

Our findings here are similar to those from studies using alcohol, which similarly inhibits the frontal lobe. Sleep deprivation could have unexpected effects on perceptual experiences related to mating and dating that could lead people to engage in sexual decisions that they might otherwise not when they are well-rested. Poor decision-making in these areas can lead to problems such as sexual harassment, unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and relationship conflicts which are all factors that have serious medical, educational and economic implications for both the individual and for society.

Peszka will be presenting the full study results on June 4th at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Baltimore, Md.

We've known for years that sleep deprivation can impair your judgment as much as binge drinking can, but this study seems to provide yet another compelling reason for men to complete their REM cycles. Being well-rested could make a man better able to discern when a woman is interested in him -- or not.

Abercrombie & Fitch 'Larger' Female Employees Had To Wear Men's Clothes To Work, Says Former Employee

2013-05-31T12:37:05-04:00

After weeks of controversy regarding Abercrombie & Fitch's limited clothing sizes for women, its CEO's disdain for customers that aren't "cool kids" and his half-baked apology, we thought that there couldn't possibly be any more frustrating realizations about the clothing brand. After reading former employee Kjerstin Gruys' essay in Salon about her experiences working for A&F, it's safe to say we were wrong.

Gruys, who was once a merchant in Abercrombie & Fitch's outerwear division and is now a sociologist who researches body image, talks about the pressure she felt to maintain a certain size given that A&F required employees to dress "on-brand" (a.k.a. wear only current Abercrombie clothing to work each day). She wrote:

I squeezed myself into the second-largest A&F women’s size available -- an 8 -- and dieted to stay that size. It terrified me to know that if I gained weight and sized out of their women’s clothes, I’d have to wear ill-fitting men’s T-shirts and sweatshirts to work every day, as I’d seen other “large” women do.

So even though A&F was employing these women, ostensibly for their skills, they maintained a policy that forced their employees to wear ill-fitting, unprofessional men's clothing in the workplace. Sounds like a pretty uncomfortable work environment to us, not to mention the fact that wearing clothing clearly created for teenagers in an office full of adults is odd to begin with.

"Can we pause to imagine the hilarity of grown people sitting in an office wearing the latest season of Abercrombie clothing? How anyone manages to pull off frayed, embellished short-shorts in a work environment is beyond me," wrote Jezebel's Meher Ahmad.

Gruys also argued in her Salon piece that the public outrage over Abercrombie's policies is incongruous with our general lack of outrage over so-called "vanity sizing," where companies lower the numbered size of clothing items without actually changing the measurements. So last year's size 12 could be this year's size 8.

"Given our emotional attachment to vanity sizing, our critique of A&F is both ironic and ill-conceived," she wrote. "If so many of us agree -- nay, beg -- to have fashion retailers lie to us when it comes to our own clothing size, why are we so horrified and furious to learn that retailers are just as fat-phobic as we are? We can’t have it both ways, not if we desire real change."

Gruys isn't the only one using the Abercombie debacle as an opportunity to bring the public's attention to the larger issues that inform fat-phobic policies like Abercrombie & Fitch's. When blogger Jes M. Baker of The Militant Baker did a photo shoot recreating A&F ads using the tagline "Attractive & Fat," she stressed that her project wasn't just about targeting one company.

"What this is about is eliminating the differentiation between cool kids and not cool kids, not using the versus when it comes to pretty vs. ugly and not separating attractive and fat," she said on the 'Today' show in May.

And that's a message we all need to hear more often.

[H/T Jezebel]