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XXL Magazine has published a video which encouraged teenage boys to force themselves on underage girls. The graphic monologue is disturbing. So is the willingness of Harris Publications, which owns XXL, to give this kind of dangerous rhetoric a platform.

Join us in calling on Harris Publications to fire XXL Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten, who presides over the workplace culture that allowed such a grave misstep. When we do, we’ll send a message to the entertainment media industry that we won’t be silent when it broadcasts commentary that promotes sexual violence against girls and women.

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Subject: Unbelievable! Magazine Gives Preteens X-Rated "Fatherly Advice" Your message to friends:

Dear friend,

I read this from MomsRising and thought you would be interested in supporting. See below:

During Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a popular magazine for teens, XXL Magazine, ran a video interview with hip-hop artist Too $hort where he encouraged teenage boys to “turn girls out” by pushing them "up against the wall.” The recording artist continued, graphically urging his audience to put their hands inside the underwear of middle school-aged girls in order to achieve what he called “mind manipulation.” The magazine packaged the disturbing monologue with "upbeat child-themed music" under the headline “Fatherly Advice From Too $hort.” [1]

Unbelievable!

Sexual assault in middle school and high school is real. And, encouraging young boys to assault young girls is irresponsible and dangerous. A recent study by the Association of American University Women shows that 1 in 4 adolescent girls are victims of sexual harassment or assault in the 7-12th grades. [2]

Well, we have some motherly advice for XXL Magazine and its distributor, Harris Publications: Fire Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten and develop steps to make sure that sexual violence directed at girls and women is not tolerated in your magazines or on your websites. Click here: http://action.momsrising.org/letter/XXLmotherlyadvice/?source=taf

When we send this message to XXL Magazine we are also sending a message to the entertainment media industry as a whole that we won’t be silent while one of its companies demeans and endangers our children.

It seems like just yesterday that my oldest daughter was learning to walk. Now that she is 13, walking is easy but life’s hard lessons have just begun. As moms and dads, at every minute of every day, we worry about the health and safety of our children. We work hard to keep them out of harm's way and to build a community around them that nurtures their growth and wellbeing. All children need that same guidance and protection. When publications are irresponsible, they put all children in danger.

Moms and dads know that rhetoric like this has real effects. The same AAUW study reported that sexual harassment has a negative effect on girls with many reporting that they had trouble sleeping and did not want to go to school. [3] Another recent study by Black Women’s Blueprint reveals that a staggering three out of five Black girls experience sexual assault by the time they turn 18. [4]

By allowing this video to appear on its site, XXL Magazine staff, led by Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten, put thousands of their young vulnerable viewers in harm's way.

Moms to XXL Magazine: Fire Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten and develop steps to make sure that sexual violence directed at girls and women is not tolerated in your magazines or on your websites. Click here: http://action.momsrising.org/letter/XXLmotherlyadvice/?source=taf

This is blatant objectification of women and girls is nothing new. But, this latest incident — XXL Magazine publishing a video of an adult recording artist talking to an imagined audience of boys through an aggressive encounter with an underage girl — goes too far. Too $hort’s rhetoric implies that hypersexuality and manhood are one and the same, and implies that consent isn’t required for sexual contact.

When boys believe this, it helps create a culture that is dangerous for both girls and boys.
We must act now!

Join the chorus of smart and courageous women and men in urging Harris Publications to Fire Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten and develop steps to make sure that sexual violence directed at girls and women is not tolerated in their magazines or on their websites.

Click here and ask you family and friends to do the same. http://action.momsrising.org/letter/XXLmotherlyadvice/?source=taf

--Monifa, Donna, Kristin, Elisa, Gloria and the whole MomsRising team

P.S. Check out a blog from our friends at Color of Change http://www.momsrising.org/blog/magazine-tells-male-audience-how-to-turn-girls-out/?source=taf

P.S.S. Read this public statement from We Are the 44%
http://www.facebook.com/notes/wearethe44/public-statement-we-are-the-44-coalition-challenges-sexual-violence-against-blac/159855520800028

1 - http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/too-short-gives-boys-advice-to-turn-girls-out-xxl.php

2 - http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/crossingtheline.cfm

3 - Ibid

4 - http://newsone.com/nation/tjstarr/half-of-black-girls-sexually-assaulted/

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Moms to XXL: Stop promoting the sexual assault of women and girls!

During Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a popular magazine among teens, XXL Magazine, ran a video interview with hip-hop artist Too $hort where he encouraged teenage and preteen boys to “turn girls out” by pushing them "up against the wall.” The recording artist continued, graphically urging his audience to put their hands inside the underwear of middle school-aged girls in order to achieve what he called “mind manipulation.” The magazine packaged the disturbing monologue with "upbeat child-themed music" under the headline “Fatherly Advice From Too $hort.”

Unbelievable!

Join the chorus of smart and courageous women and men in urging Harris Publications to Fire Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten and develop steps to make sure that sexual violence directed at girls and women is not tolerated in their magazines or on their websites. Sign below and ask you family and friends to do the same.

Dear Harris Publications President and CEO Stanley R. Harris,

I am writing to ask that you fire XXL Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten for providing a platform for dangerous rhetoric that dehumanizes and demeans girls and young women. Under Satten’s leadership, XXL has become a place that promotes violent fantasies involving aggressive, hypersexual boys and preteen girls. I ask that you intervene now.

As you know, the XXL website posted a video interview with rapper Too $hort, who encouraged teenage boys to “turn girls out” by pushing “her up against the wall.” The 45-year-old rapper continued, graphically urging his audience to put their hands inside the underwear of middle school aged girls in order to achieve what he called “mind manipulation.” Your company, XXL, packaged the disturbing monologue under the headline, “Fatherly Advice From Too $hort.”

Rhetoric like this has real effects on girls. A recent study by the Association of American University Women shows that 1 in 4 adolescent girls are victims of sexual harassment or assault in the 7-12th grades. The same AAUW study reported that sexual harassment has a negative effect on girls with many reporting that they had trouble sleeping and did not want to go to school. Another recent study by Black Women’s Blueprint reveals that a staggering three out of five Black girls experience sexual assault by the time they turn 18.

By allowing this video to appear on its site, XXL staff, led by Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten, put thousands of their young vulnerable viewers in harm's way. As moms and dads, at every minute of every day, we worry about the health and safety of our children. We work hard to keep them out of harm's way and to build a community around them that nurtures their growth and wellbeing. All children need that same guidance and protection. When publications are irresponsible, they put all children in danger.

Fire Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten and develop steps to make sure that sexual violence directed at girls and women is not tolerated in your magazines or on your websites.

Sincerely,

G-FKC1JKZLDL

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Moms to XXL: Stop promoting the sexual assault of women and girls!