Justin Timberlake may be “lovin it,” and Beyonce may be praising Pepsi (for $50 million), but take those celebrity endorsements with a grain of salt: they’re nearly always bad for you (surprise, surprise), according to a new study.

The study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics, was carried out by a team of NYU researchers. They found that of 163 of the most popular music industry celebrities (a group they designated by examining Billboard’s 2013 and 2014 “Hot 100” lists) 65 had endorsed food and non-alcoholic beverages, most of which were fast foods, sugary drinks, and desserts: will.i.am and Doritos, Jessie J and Pop Tarts, Pitbull and Sheets Energy Strips, and Carrie Underwood and Hershey, are just some of many celebrity endorsements that made the list.

Of the 26 food products endorsed in the study, 81 percent were deemed “nutrient poor,” and 71 percent of the 69 beverages were high in sugar. Only one food on the list – pistachios, which were endorsed by Korean star Psy and late night talk show host Stephen Colbert – was deemed healthy.

The study’s lead researcher, Marie Bragg, compared these endorsements to old-school tobacco marketing, according to the Washington Post, highlighting the prominence that advertising has long given unhealthy habits.

While the study didn’t analyze how endorsements influence consumption, one anecdote illustrates what seems obvious to most who see this information.

“When Dr. Pepper asked Pitbull to endorse, they got 4.6 million advertising impressions, and sales went up 1.7 percent [among Latinos] — despite declining sales in the overall soft drink category,” Bragg told NPR. Other studies have shown that teens and young adults who liked hit songs that referenced alcohol brands were more likely to drink than those who didn’t; the link is there, and it is strong.

“We hope that this study will start a discussion about shifting this marketing away from unhealthy products,” Bragg said following the publication of these results.

Currently, however, the money is in unhealthy foods, and it’s making all the difference when it comes to America’s obesity epidemic.

“The popularity of music celebrities among adolescents makes them uniquely poised to serve as positive role models,” said one of the researchers, Alysa N. Miller. “Celebrities should be aware that their endorsements could exacerbate society’s struggle with obesity – and they should endorse healthy products instead.”

Some efforts have been made to this effect, especially with the trend of cleaner food and more transparency in the industry. Celebs like Cam Newton, Kristen Bell, and Jessica Alba have endorsed the Partnership for a Healthier America — at quite a pay cut as compared to their fast-food-loving colleagues –, and Venus Williams and DJ Khaled were recently seen in an endorsement for Silk plant-based milks.

Let’s hope that despite the millions that are up for grabs in celebrity endorsements for unhealthy foods, this healthy endorsement trend continues, and that celebs posing with cans of sugary soda or fatty snacks will soon be as distant a memory as doctors vouching for their favorite cigarette brands.

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Beyonce image via Shutterstock

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ColumnAfter a week full of feminist news blurbs about young women sharing their pain and experiences online, “Lemonade” was the icing on the feminist, truth-telling cake.

“Lemonade,” an hour-long mystery special created by Beyoncé, aired on HBO last Saturday night. There was a ton of speculation about the special’s subject matter: Was it a documentary about her life? Another visual album? Well, “Lemonade” was a bit of both, but it was much more personal and political than anyone could have imagined.

Lemonade

From track one—”Pray You Catch Me”—to track 12—”Formation”—every song on “Lemonade” described Beyoncé’s life and evolution as a black woman in a marriage, as a person, and as an activist.

There are more than a few themes that run through the album, but its main story lines do a deep dive into infidelity in a marriage, how Beyoncé’s family life shaped her and her experiences, becoming one’s self, and black empowerment.

Love and pain

There are a lot of WTF moments in the album that have caused some fans to speculate what “Becky with the good hair” means, and if Beyoncé wrote about her or her mother’s experience with infidelity. None of that really matters, though. What matters is a black woman used her power to shine a light on the feelings a woman—specifically a woman of color—feels when she is betrayed by someone she deeply loves.

This is not a new theme in music—people have used songs to describe pain in the past. But by taking “Lemonade” to such a personal place, Beyoncé has made this story—her story—incredibly relatable.

Black power

Since releasing the video for “Formation” and performing at the Super Bowl, Beyoncé has already raised many un-woke eyebrows throughout the world. Well, if those people saw any of “Lemonade,” they probably had heart attacks because the entire film is, basically, a video about black culture and black girl pride.

She name drops Malcolm X, uses a snippet from one of his speeches, shows undying support for the Black Lives Matter movement, features bits and pieces of diverse black culture, and showcases the work of Warsan Shire, a Somali-British poet.

Beyoncé has always been a proponent of black female power but this album is made for black women. And the fact that it upset so many white people shows why this piece of art is so important.

Yes, women of all ethnicities can relate to the themes in “Lemonade,” but through the visual album’s art and cameos, Beyoncé makes it incredibly clear that she is talking to black women and encouraging them to standup, be proud, and not take any shit. While it’s disappointing that this type of openness is so unique, Beyoncé’s strength may influence more women of color to share their experiences in the future.

Personal stories via social media

Although Beyoncé is the current “artist of the moment” who is making the deeply personal public, other female artists are using social media to share their pain and struggles.

Recently, women all over the world used the hashtag #whenIwas to discuss the first time they experienced early sexism. All of the tweets were pretty heartbreaking. An example:

@comradeclaire tweeted: #WhenIwas 16, my GCSE art teacher speculated on tightness of my vagina, completely humiliating me in front of the class @everydaysexism

And before Melissa Broder, writer, wrote “So Sad Today,” a book that honestly discusses mental illness, sex, and her vomit fetish, she had an anonymous Twitter account she used to tweet about depression. That account—@SoSadToday—allowed Broder to use “140 characters to say something both profound and hilarious,” Bitch adds.

Broder’s work is deeply personal and a great example of how sharing one’s problems can uplift others.

I hope this “openness” trend becomes the norm because when people share their mess and get real, everyone benefits.

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ColumnBeyoncé has had a hell of a month. The artist has always been on top of the pop music game, but a few weeks ago, she got political. And oh, how glorious it was.

Everyone reading is probably aware that Beyoncé released the video for her new song “Formation” a few weeks ago. The release was a total surprise. While most of her fans were pleased with the powerful political direction the pop star took, some people — excuse me, let me be more specific — some white people got realllly upset.

In the video, Beyoncé speaks strongly and confidently about her history, race, and what it means to be black in American today. All of the imagery in her video is beautiful and stirring. While, yes, there are amazing outfits to ogle, Beyoncé also makes references to the many police-on-young-back-person shootings that have happened over the past few years, and Hurricane Katrina.

I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by this, but some viewers have called the video inappropriate.

“Some called the imagery in the video an affront to police and urged viewers ahead of her halftime performance at the Super Bowl to #BoycottBeyoncé for her aligning herself with the Black Lives Matters movement,” CNN reports.

And to add fire to the stupid-fueled flame, these same people are also upset that Beyoncé’s backup singers danced in Black Panther garb during the 2016 Super Bowl Half-Time Show. Lots of boneheaded tweets were posted, and some hot heads even went as far as organizing an anti-Beyoncé rally outside the National Football League’s headquarters.

All this “support the police,” and the “she’s being racist to white people” rhetoric is total shit. The only reason these people are angry is because a strong black woman decided to use her art to discuss what being black means to her. I, for one, am super stoked that Beyoncé is getting political and pissing people off… Because once you piss people off, important discussions tend to begin.

Now, I’m not the only one who is irritated at the Beyoncé hate. SNL gloriously commented on the matter, and Beyoncé’s supporters are telling all her haters to shut-it. For example, some of the singer’s supporters had a counter-protest to defend the singer and her art.

“When Black women affirm Blackness/Black womanhood, they are attacked and silenced,” the Black Girl Rising event page, states.

“This is a counter protest to a racist, ahistorical attack on the Black Panther Party and Beyoncé, plus an excuse to celebrate a very awesome song and #BlackGirlMagic moment. Sisters, dress in your ‘Formation’ video/Super Bowl performance-inspired gear and make this a moment a joyous one! Allies and friends, show up and show your support! We have asked our biggest stars to get political and Bey went there. Don’t let anyone make her powerful statement about the value of Black life be overshadowed by those who don’t believe that our lives matter.”

While the week, month, and let’s be honest — probably the year — belongs to the “why we love Beyoncé movement,” Taylor Swift actually had a pretty rad “hell yeah, woman power,” second at the Grammy’s on Monday night (February 15).

During her Album of the Year acceptance speech, the singer spoke about how she made herself famous. The speech was a powerful rally cry directed toward young girls who are, perhaps, belittled by bullies and jerks who take joy in tearing down females. While the speech works on a broad scale, it also seemed pretty obvious that many of her words were directed toward Kanye West and his “I made that bitch famous” line on his new album.

Who would have thought that a music video and Grammy speech could get so many people riled up?

Let’s hope both these artists and artists who are similar to them keep producing challenging pieces of art that make everyone stop and pay attention to the injustices that happen all over the world.

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If you’ve spent any time on BuzzFeed, you know you need a calculator to tally up the number of amazing kitty videos and celebrities with sexy abs on any given day. (It’s a lot!)

The articles with lists, better known as listicles, are paramount to the success of sites like BuzzFeed (and, yes, even EcoSalon). But why? Why are there so many numbers in our articles? And why are they so compelling and frustrating at the same time?

MediaBistro reported that BuzzFeed’s editorial director Jack Shepherd said, “At their best, lists are just scaffolding for stories: The list format grabs the attention because it’s an easy way for people to process information and for readers to know what they’re getting, but that’s not even close to half the battle. A great list that people share everywhere has to be an experience.”

Right. “An experience.” Well then, what about the rest of it? Why are we so hooked on numbers?

1. According to news syndication company Mobiles Republic, we’re on a steady diet of “news snacking”, which is just what it sounds like. You may bookmark that 10,000 word article in The Atlantic, but chances are you’d rather read 20 shorter articles in the same time period. It’s easier for us to digest smaller bits of information, and a listicle guarantees us just that. We know we’re getting 3, 11 or 311 pieces of information, which just seems more doable in the modern world.

But who likes being labeled a “news snacker?” Erudite or not, many people still want to digest real news as if having a real meal in France where savoring and enjoying are the real stars of the meal. Fast food day in and day out isn’t very appetizing, even for the frequent consumers. In the same sense, the lure of the list robs us of that holistic experience. Instead of reading the New Yorker cover to cover, you just read another one of Cosmo’s “10 Ways to Keep your Man Satisfied.” Chances are, one of those ways is to be well-read. Makes you feel kind of icky.

2. Lists are practical, sort of. If looking for the hottest trends or best recipes, sometimes seeing our options can be really helpful. Aggregation beats endless searching. Except, there’s an arrogance there, too. Who decided on the 19 best smoothies in the world? Was there a panel of judges? Were they taste-tested? Who was in charge of quality control?

3. We’re also genuinely curious creatures. Forty-six Beyoncé hairdos? Well we’ve got to see which ones made the cut, of course! But the downside is that once you start down the list, you can’t help but wonder what’s after? If those are the 46 best hairdos, what was number 47? Was there a 47? What if I like that one better?

4. They’re also kind of genius. After Bono’s lavender-tinted appearance at the Golden Globes on Sunday, BuzzFeed published “The 25 Most Iconic Moments In Purple Tinted Sunglasses History.” Not only does this pique my curiosity, but if I’m cool (which I’ve got lists both for and against), I can share this with my preferred social network and let the list of comments (another list!) entertain me for hours. Yes, BuzzFeed and their lists help break down barriers with our lists of friends we may or may not have actually met in real life, but are willing to engage in witty online conversations with.

5. But, of course, lists are also super annoying. They suck us in. Do we really care about Beyoncé’s hairdos when we have other more important things to worry about (like cute kittens)? It’s easy to feel rather lame and unaccomplished when you’ve spent your morning clicking through list after list.

6. They’re clickbait, too, which means that because it’s widely known that the human brain can’t resist the lure of the numbered list, once you’re there, you’re more likely going to be bombarded with ads, some of which use lists to lure you further.

493. It seems that we live in a list-vortex. It’s like a black hole with a lot of numbers in it; ergo, we get a glimpse into the inner workings of the universe, which upon further contemplation, appears to be just an eternity of lists, is it not?

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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ColumnWhat do you get for the feminist who has everything? I offer you this guide to holiday gifts for feminists. Of course, they can be gifted year-round, too.

1. For the feisty feminist:

society6 has a series of Feminist As Fuck items, including this red t-shirt. With tops for kids and men, and onesies for babies, the whole family can say, “Hey, I’m feminist as fuck!” loud and proud.

2. For the music loving feminist: 

Beyonce’s new album. Unless you spent the week under a rock, you know that Beyonce stealthy released a “visual album” with 14 songs and 17 videos? WHAT? No matter how you feel about her earlier advice to “put a ring on it,” I’m glad to see that Beyonce sampled Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an award-winning Nigerian author, and included lots of her own views about feminism.

3. For the feminist activist:

The pen is still mightier than the sword. Mother Jones magazine is an independent, nonprofit publication with the ability—with its solid reporting on politics, the environment, women’s issues and more—to influence everything from the gun-control debate to presidential campaigns. Support the magazine as it makes year-end push to raise the funds to continue bringing real, game-changing journalism into the world.

4. For the little feminist:

If you’re not down with your kid sporting a t-shirt with the F-word on it, there are other options, like this Katniss Everdeen Lego figure. Check out MightyGirl for lots of girl-empowered gifts. I kind of love the Marie Curie finger puppet.

5. For the feminist on the go:

La Bella Figura’s seed-to-skin products are perfect for cold-weather dwelling feminists and for winter travel. The Holiday Essential Mini Set Includes: Daily Elements Defense, Barbary Fig Renewal Serum and Travel Therapy.

6. For the feminist yoga fiend:

These yoga pants by Teeki are eco- and lady-friendly —and a welcome departure from the every popular (and to be avoided at all costs) Lululemon basics. Teeki pants are made from recycled water bottles and produced in U.S. using solar power. Shine on.

7. For the feminist foodie:

Be prepared for lots of “hand in the cookie jar” jokes when you present the Jonathan Adler Georgia cooke jar to the giftee.

8. For the feminist desk-dweller and coffee-drinker:

The cunt mug  says it all. It can serve as a warning to, or a commentary on, co-workers. How handy!

Images: Society6, Beyonce.com, Sean MacEntee, MightyGirl, La Bella Figura, Teeki, Jonathan Adler and Firebox

The post 8 Holiday Gifts for Feminists: That Happened appeared first on EcoSalon.

Finally, veganism is being talked about in the mainstream. But it’s more than just a diet. When is vegan fashion going to get the attention it deserves?

There’s a list. Mike Tyson. Ex-presidents and ex-vice presidents. Talk show hosts. A-list movie stars and musicians. And the latest to take the vegan diet plunge? Beyoncé and Jay Z. Well, almost. The couple is on a three-week vegan diet bender. It’s good for business. They get even more publicity (because they need it, right?) and likely drop a few pounds. Vegans get the glory of adding more super-celeb names to the roster, even if it only lasts a few weeks. Vegan restaurants can boast visits from the couple. Sort of. Because with only three weeks to kale it up, Beyoncé failed in week one: She walked into a vegan restaurant wearing fur.

Mrs. Shawn Carter, now there are 99 problems—and well. Huh. Maybe it’s not your fault. It is that missing link about “veganism” that we don’t talk about nearly enough these days. The one Bill Clinton probably overlooks, too. The one Mike Tyson might miss if he’s not looking carefully. It’s the animals that are now your shoes, your belt, your sweater, those hideous UGG boots. And, yes, Beyoncé, in that unspeakable dead animal wrapped around your collar like you’re Nanook.

Perhaps the reason we don’t talk all that much (yet) about the importance of vegan fashion is that we’re so thrilled that the vegan diet is getting so much recognition. Without a doubt, it’s the biggest battle—more animals are killed for food than in any other industry.  And chances are—or it used to be, anyway—once you realize the horrors animals raised for food endure, the blurry reality of the other ways animals are (ab)used begin to come into focus too. But with so much attention being placed on the physical benefits of dropping meat, eggs and dairy from our diet, we’re no longer talking as much about the benefits to the animals. Suffering has taken a backseat to slimmer waistlines, reduced LDL levels and a decrease in methane gas production. We promote the benefits of plants more comfortably than we talk about the tragic fact that pigs are smarter than dogs, but we lock them in cages so small they can’t even turn around. And then we kill and eat them.

Choosing to not eat animals is actually pretty easy. Fruits and vegetables are abundant. Most major cities now boast at least one vegan restaurant and countless vegan items on restaurant menus. But try to buy a well-made pair of boots or a handbag that aren’t leather. Or a sweater that isn’t wool. There certainly are options out there, and the vegan fashion industry is taking off (NYC’s Fashion Week saw the first vegan fashion show last year), but as an industry, it still has big steps towards seeing the success vegan food has.

But fur? Really? Do we really still need to discuss how totally awful fur is? How are you going to explain it to your daughter? Even meat-eaters are known to find it offensive. I get it, Beyoncé. You’re BEYONCÉ. And it’s winter (almost, technically). But this isn’t the 1940s. And you were in Los Angeles, not Iceland. Are you really a woman who needs to feel beautiful wrapped in the dead body of another animal? You’re the best-selling, most beautiful woman in music today. You rocked the Super Bowl halftime show. You’re married to a mogul. Can’t you give the animals a break?

Most of the fur sold in the U.S. comes from China where there are no penalties for animal abuse. More than a billion rabbits, two million cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs are tortured for their fur in China every year. Fur farms are some of the most crammed and filthy conditions that animals such as fox, mink and chinchilla endure before they’re painfully electrocuted to death so as to not bloody up their precious pelts. Then there’s the seal slaughter in Canada where babies are brutally bludgeoned for their coats.

Fur may look clean and pristine. It’s easy to see only the softness and beauty we love in the animals who wear it naturally. But like wool, suede and leather, fur is the product of industries that fail to see the suffering of animals as anything more than just the cost of doing business.

Fashion is, more often than not, excessive and indulgent. Like food can be. But over the last few decades, we’ve begun to shift our diets. Savoring the flavor of simple ingredients. We’ve turned our focus locally to the freshest foods. It’s easier to eat a vegan diet when your plate is full of seasonal plant-based ingredients. Applying that same approach to fashion isn’t just easy. It’s just as necessary.

 Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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The post Vegan Fashion 101: Fur Is So Not Vegan (Take Note, Beyoncé) appeared first on EcoSalon.

While some suggest they’re a symbol of female oppression, our current fondness for Spanx illustrates women continue to seek to contour and enhance their figures with shapewear.

Until the discovery last week of a 600-year-old bra unearthed in an Austrian castle, costume historians had thought the modern day bra had evolved from centuries of restrictive corsets. The four linen bras found were decorated with lace suggesting that like now, women in the middle ages appreciated bras, both for support and their ability to attract attention by enhancing the shape of their breasts. Women’s undergarments have long been underneath the ever-changing fashion silhouette. In this week’s Now & Then, we look at the evolving contours of the female body and the shapewear responsible for creating it.

A 600-year-old bra unearthed in an Austrian castle last week.

Bras as we know them today begin in the 1920’s. The “boyish” silhouette of the flapper era were achieved by  stiff bandeaus that held the bust in and down by means of a clip attached to a light corset. Larger breasted women tried products like the popular Symington Side Lacer, which when laced at both sides pulled and helped to flatten women’s chests.

Actress Gloria Grahame in a typical sweater girl pose of the 1950’s.

By the 1950’s, women looking to emulate the uplifted look of film stars like Lana Turner and Jane Russell bought longline stitched cone bras that gave the pointed, conical shape favored by the sweater girls of the 50s. The introduction of nylon around this time revolutionized the bra by making them lighter, prettier and easier to wash.

Manufacturers in the 70s starting offering underwear in a range of colors and prints.

As clothing styles loosened up in the casual ages of 60s and 70s fashion, seamless underwear was essential to wear under knits for the popular no-bra natural look. Manufacturers began introducing prints and patterns to underwear fabric and bras could also be purchased in flesh tones. By the end of the decade, sequins and Day-Glo colors could be found, and simple stretchy “Boob Tubes” that supported disco era fashions became popular.

Underwear in the 80s embraced the erotic in lacy teddies and satin french knickers.

Breast support took a back seat in the 80’s, with underwear enjoying one of it’s most sexually-charged periods. The influence of high glamour soaps like Dallas and Dynasty, combined with a new body consciousness as a result of the keep-fit craze and the increasing popularity of separates ushered in a decade of erotic and highly feminine silk, satin and lace trimmed lingerie styles. All-in-one bodysuits and teddies were worn with matching high cut French knickers. When women began revealing the edge of a lace trimmed camisole beneath the popular power suits, the underwear as outerwear trend was born.

The wonder bra and its notorious advertising campaign in the 1990’s.

The 90s was the decade of the wonder bra. Technological advances in lingerie construction, and the influence of amazonian supermodels created a trend for cleavage enhanced fashions. Women lined up for the bestselling wonder bra, a plunge bra with detachable inserts that truly delivered on its name.

In 2000, Spanx was officially launched by Sara Blakely, an entrepreneur in search of a smaller butt, flatter abs and shapelier thighs. Tapping into a huge market of women looking for the same thing – $250 million a year is spent on Spanx products alone – and everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow, Tina Fey and Oprah embrace Blakely’s 21st century girdle alternative. Modern women clearly have no intention of abandoning their shapewear.

Beyonce showing off one of her Spanx seamless bodysuits.

Want to catch up on some more fashion history?

Now & Then: the History of the Sneaker.

Now & Then: The History of the Statement Outfit.

Now & Then: The History of Flared Pants

Now & Then: The History of the Ballet Flat

Now & Then: The History of the Breton Shirt

Now & Then: The History of the Platform Shoe

Now & Then: The History of the Pencil Skirt

Now & Then: The History of Skinny Jeans

Read more Now & Then articles here.

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