Magazines for girls

I was a little concerned recently when a friend told me her daughter, who is in Yr 6, wanted to spend her money on Dolly magazine. Apparently the girls in her year all read it, and share it around at lunchtime. These girls are 11 years old.

My friend, being the smart feminist that she is, subscribed to an alternate mag for her daughter, and told her to spend her money on other things. Here is the address for the mag, produced in the US.

http://www.newmoon.com/magazine/

Something similar, although, I think, better, was being produced in Australia, but is, unfortunately, currently not in production. Have a look here.

http://www.frankteam.com.au/frankmag/

As I've said before, Womens Forum Australia, in association with Melinda Tankard Reist, has produced Faking It, a research paper which can be used as a resource for girls to critique the mainstream magazines.

We need to teach girls about the messages they are being taught in these mainstreams mags, and keep providing good alternatives, which, sadly, are hard to finance when you aren't pushing merchandise and selling advertising, because these are part of what the alternative mags critique.