Jane Pratt’s xoJane: A (Feminist) Place For Moms And Teen Girls

Many mothers that I know set the bar for what their daughter can consume by testing it first. But Jane Pratt, founder of Sassy, has a new online venture that aims to be a place for both feminist-y mothers and daughters. xoJane launched today with columns on beauty, sex, fashion, and technology that according to Salon, hopes to capture the interest of “older Sassy girls, still wearing their ringer tees and listening to Sonic Youth, while capturing the interests of their daughters as well.” And although most mothers I know wouldn’t want to be caught habitually reading the same site as their 13-year-old, I like the notion that feminist approaches to culture might indeed be what brings them together — at least on the internet.
The language may be a bit crass for mothers hoping that their teenage daughters have never heard a swear word or have any idea what sex is, but the feminist concept behind this website echoes strong. With an entire column devoted to what weird stuff publicists are trying to push (like belly button surgery) to one writer’s eloquent reaction to her rapist friending her on Facebook, the website seems to be a place where the well-being and health of women and girls is a priority. The fashion section upholds notable women like Clara Bow while chuckling at 90s throwbacks like  Drew Barrymore’s character from the film Poision Ivy. Granted, your teen will be reading in close proximity to articles like “I Obsessively Monitor My Husband’s Lube,” but the pro-woman voice of xoJane vastly eclipses the use of a few dirty words.

(photo: xojane.com)

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