If you live in Minnesota you’ve undoubtedly been solicited to contribute to a worthy nonprofit tomorrow, November 17, on Give to the Max Day. It’s sponsored by GiveMN, “a new online resource that helps Minnesotans discover, support and engage with the charities that are right for them.”

All contributions made from 8:00 a.m. on November 17, 2009 until 8:00 a.m  on November 18, 2009 will be matched by the generosity of some super big foundations. That’s free money!

So please consider donating half as much as you might otherwise to Parents for Ethical Marketing. Why? So we can keep fighting the good fight. Thanks.

This morning I had the honor of participating on a panel for the Minnesota Public Health Association, Unhealthy Influences: The Impact of Advertising on the Health of Children. 

If you attended the panel, here’s some information that you might find helpful:

PEM Primer for CCFC Summit (basic background information on Parents for Ethical Marketing)
Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls

A few posts on sexualization:
From the makers of Disney My Baby Princess, Sluts! I mean, Struts!
Sitter’s Checklist: Parenting, toy makeovers, and even more! ways to get kids to buy stuff
A sexualized Miley Cyrus? One word: Disney.
Sitter’s Checklist: Sweet Valley High, Bratz, Bimbos, and Who’s to blame

Some things I mentioned:
Retailer rue21 profits from sexualizing girls, thinks you should, too
Sexed-up six-year-olds roaming the streets at night: Must be Halloween
Beauty school parties for preteens

Resources:
The Lolita Effect, or, Yes, Virginia, little girls really are sexualized by the media
Sitter’s Checklist: Kids and food, sexualization, and smoking
Sexualizing Childhood — Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood