body image

Dear Friends:

My time with you has come to an end. From the Man Pad to the G20; from RadioLab to the baby binary; from  the amazing Stu Rasmussen to my (apparently controversial) exploration of transphobia; from interviews with artists to profiles of beautiful tattoos--it's been a fantastic journey. My goal was to look at representations of the body in space, time, and pop culture. I hope you have found our time together as illuminating and exciting as I have.

For the last several years, Dove has been busily branding itself as a socially conscious company on a mission to improve women's self-esteem. Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty strives " to free ourselves and the next generation from beauty stereotypes." This is supposedly done through thought-provoking ads, confidence-building programs, and messages that embrace all definitions of beauty (except for those that eschew using beauty products, I assume).

But Dove tested my patience with "30 Rock Beauty Moments" at NBC.com, in which they insinuate themselves into the hilarious work of Tina Fey...