Editorial on stereotypes of female success

In today's Palladium-Item, Michelle Manchir has a letter about TV star Danica McKellar's efforts to teach girls that pursuing a strong education can be just as worthwhile as other goals typically set out for women. But as Manchir writes, "McKellar's emphasis on girls' appearance trivializes her promotion of academic ambitions and contributing to society in a meaningful way. In fact, she underwrites culture's obsession with female beauty, which is ultimately limiting and unfortunate for women." Further highlight:

I think it's foolish to hope for the day that women's hard work is not trivialized, even just a little, with their ever- sexualized role in popular culture. I do hope, however, that more women, and especially girls, learn to be more media literate and understand that what they see and hear about their appearance everyday on TV and on Web sites is not something they have to achieve to be worthwhile.

You can read the full editorial.