Teen Readers Vow To Keep Reading xoJane, Call The Writers ‘Role Models’
Even though xoJane has penned an open letter asking teenage girls to get off their site that promotes unsafe sex practices (including using the morning after pill and abortion as birth control), the teenage readership has responded by vowing to keep reading the content now suddenly redefined as for adults in the wake of our criticisms. Not only do these comments from teenagers prove that high school age girls have been reading this content all along, but some of these girls also call the writers “role models”and call the site “a great resource.”
You know, the health and beauty director who espouses having unsafe sex with multiple partners, without condoms, or birth control. Role model. A great resource.
This young lady lets the editor know that by declaring the site inappropriate for her, they are “patronizing” her. I also found the letter condescending to teen girls:
Ms. Liee calls the site “a great resource” for her demographic:
This teenager writes that reading the content on xoJane shows what “an interesting and exciting future” waits for her:
This teen who identifies as a reader of the blog plans to share the open letter with all her friends, thereby encouraging them to read more xoJane content:
And this 15-year-old girl from a small town in Ireland calls the writers of xoJane “role models” :
What’s really concerning is that a large number of these teenager identify as feminists which is always something I like to hear coming out of the mouths of young women. Finding content that is “empowering to women and girls,” as this teen writes, is so important to a young readership like this that often struggles to find such material. But if these young, self-identified feminists are reading content by their “role model” health and beauty director about having unprotected sex and using Plan B as birth control, what impression does that give teen girls about feminism? If young girls are coming to xoJane in search of feminist voices, they are in turn learning that being sexually irresponsible, reckless with their health, and endangering their partners is somehow feminist, humorous, and even glamorous.
Parents and the childless alike should be outraged that a website that chose to publish such an account of unsafe sex practices has not only been speaking to teen girls, but from the looks of these comments, will continue to do so.
(photo: xojane.com)
