Cosmopolitan

Magazine Description: The first issue of Cosmopolitan (Cosmo) hit the shelves in 1886. It was a family magazine back then and wasn't transformed into a women's magazine until the 60s. The current issue has Kim Kardashian in a yellow bikini on the front. In typical Cosmo style there are headlines all over the cover giving readers a sneak peak of what to expect inside. Inside readers will find articles about "Fashion", "Love, Sex, & Success", a "Man Manual", "News & Real Life", beauty tips and more. There are many ads throughout which are usually about clothing, perfume, or some kind of accessory. 

Critical Evaluation: I used to read Cosmo when I was a teenager. My mother and I would always buy our trashy magazines together when we went grocery shopping. She'd grab People and I'd choose Cosmo. While still very similar in many ways as it was 10 years ago, much has changed about the magazine. The first thing of note was the non super skinny Kim Kardashian on the cover. In the 90s it would have been Kate Moss on the cover, bearing her skeletal frame to the world. The next thing I noticed was the lack of articles about how to get thin. When I used to read the magazine nearly every article was about what clothes to wear to make yourself look thinner, what you could eat to loose weight etc. Magazines such as Cosmo gave a whole generation body issue problems that I know I still personally battle with. Instead this issue was full of body positive imagery. While there were a few ads which popped up for diet pills, the actual content provided by Cosmo was much more positive than in past issues. Instead of telling women and girls how to change themselves, they show how to work with what they have. They do promote healthy lifestyles as well, giving exercise tips and food suggestions, but it's about getting healthy not thin. 

Cosmo also includes real life compelling stories. This month's issue had information about sexual slavery told from the women who have lived through it. Cosmo wouldn't be complete though without quizzes and sex advice. Most of this is pretty much garbage and can be quite offensive. For instance the term "The Man Manual" implies to me that women must learn how to control their men, manipulating them into doing whatever they want them to. Don't really think this is the positive model we want to be setting for teen girls. However, the fashion, makeup, hair and health advice would prove useful for those who want to blend into the crowd and stay popular and trendy.

Age: 16+

Challenge Issues:

• Sex

Cosmo does have sex information in it, but most of it is harmless advice or tips. Other information provided is about sexual health which is important for older teens to learn about. For girls in their late teens it's not going to be anything more than what is talked about on daytime talk shows or the locker room at school. It's important to have magazines of interest in a teen collection. Many times teens don't have the time to sit and read a whole book, but can de-stress by sitting in the teen area and reading a couple of articles. The magazine also provides lots of fashion tips for teens who are interested.


Why I Included This Magazine: Nearly every teen girl has thumbed through a Cosmo at some point. It is almost a teen girl right of passage to take a Cosmo quiz, giggling over the frank sex talk with girlfriends at slumber parties. While many might view the sex additions to the magazine to be too mature for teens, I think it's suitable for most high school juniors and seniors. Teens talk about sex and their bodies all the time and Cosmo is as frank in their discussion as the teens are.  

Rolling Stone

Magazine Description: Rolling Stone began in 1967 and is currently published every two weeks. It covers music, television, movies, politics, and general pop culture. In the 70s the magazine was known for being very political including journalism from Hunter S. Thompson. By the 90s Rolling Stone had changed its image, becoming more about pop culture and less about politics. The current magazine still has some political articles in its "National Affairs" section, but overall is mainly about pop culture. Rolling Stone is full of music, television, and movie reviews. There are Q&A sections with celebrities and lots of photos throughout. There are also a lot of advertisements which make up over half of the magazine.

Critical Evaluation: The most annoying thing about Rolling Stone is the sheer number of advertisements. Over half the magazine is just ads, most full page. When you open it up you have to hunt just to find the table of contents. Once there most of the layout consists of a page of content on the left and a full page ad on the right. This layout is repeated over and over again, giving no real variety to the magazine. It's overwhelming and distracting having to see so many ads all the time. Most of these ads are not even relevant to Rolling Stone's content. Instead they feature food, clothing, watches, soap, and whatever other random product paid for a slot. The reviews are okay, being relevant to those who are interested in staying current with the latest releases. The "National Affairs" section feels forced and out of place mixed with the rest of the fluff content. The issue this month featured Bob Dylan, which may not appeal to many teens. However, featured artists are usually current and popular.

 Age: 16+

Challenge Issues:

• Sex
• Language

Rolling Stone is still one of the go to magazines for finding music reviews. With pop culture comes the addition of sex and occasionally swearing. As such, the magazine contains these elements. The amount of sex or foul language included is very limited with much less being found in than in some YA novels. Since the issues cover different material every two weeks it is unknown how much potentially challenge worthy material will be included in any given issue. However, the main focus of the magazine is not on sex, but pop culture.

Why I Included This Magazine: Rolling Stone has been the staple magazine in the music industry for the last 40 years. Generations of teens have turned to its pages to read articles and interviews from their favorite bands or to see what the next best CD is. Most teens are very in tune with what's going on in pop culture and Rolling Stone will help to keep them informed.

Otaku USA

Magazine Description: Otaku is filled with news and reviews of anime, manga, gaming, J-Pop, toys, and cosplay. The pages are laid out with bright colors and lots of images. The table of contents also provides information on how to find the magazine online through their Facebook, Twitter or website. There are advertisements, but they are all relevant to the theme of the magazine and don't overwhelm the content. Each section has a colored bar with a label at the top which indicates which section you are currently viewing. The magazine also includes interviews with artists, ways to get free stuff, and in the issue I viewed a 30 page black and white comic insert. 

Critical Evaluation: Otaku is a great magazine for lovers of anything Japanese. The pages are rich, filled to the brim with images from the anime, manga or video games being reviewed. Teens can keep up with all the latest releases and news about their favorite aspect of Japanese culture. Placing the online contact information at the beginning of the magazine makes it easy for readers to follow news online. The website makes a wonderful supplement to the magazine as it provides video, web exclusive content, a blog, and user forum. By placing colored bars and labeling each section of the magazine it is easy to jump directly to content of interest. I also enjoyed the cosplay sections. These included fan photos of fabulous costumes. They also gave tips for creating your own cosplay events at home. 

Age: 14+

Challenge Issues: n/a

Why I Included This Magazine: Japanese culture has taken the US by storm. My local library can't keep the graphic novels and manga on the shelves, it is constantly in circulation. Nearly every teen I talk to watches anime in some form. Many of them listen to J-Pop and craft costumes from their favorite series. Otaku gives teens a way to keep up on the latest news from the anime world. 

Tighter - Mindless Self Indulgence

Twelve years after its original release, Mindless Self Indulgence (MSI) has re-released their original album Tight. The new CD, Tighter, has all the old favorite tracks with a host of new goodies. In addition to remixes of original tracks the CD now comes with a bonus DVD. The DVD is full of extras, mainly containing live show footage. I remember when their first album was released in 1999 and still have the now out of print album sitting in a CD case under my bed. Back in the late '90s early '00s MSI was an obscure band from New York. Those in the alternative scene and into underground music knew about their crazy sound and off the wall lyrics. The band had/has a crazy style which alt teens really love. Their CDs have been sold at Hot Topic for many years. Since about 2005 with the release of their album You'll Rebel to Anything the band has gained more popularity and is now pretty big with teens in the rave and emo scenes.

The album Tight was always one of my favorites and I'm stoked to see it being re-released for the younger generation to experience. Each of the songs is completely different with fast interesting lyrics which many will love to sing along with. One has a hard time not getting up and moving to Tight. MSI has a very unique sound which can not be compared to anyone. They self describe themselves as "industrial, jungle, rock, punk, techno freaks." The album is perfect for parties or blasting on headphones while riding the city bus. Alt teens often seek out music which defines them. MSI is different, not liked by the mainstream, and stands alone. This resonates with teens who are looking for their new identities.

Track Listings:

• "Grab The Mic" 
• "Bring The Pain"
• "Mindless Self Indulgence"
• "Tight"
• "Diabolical"
• "Molly"
• "Tornado"
• "Daddy"
• "Pussy All Night"
• "Apple Country"
• "Dickface"
• "Bite Your Rhymes"
• "Tornado" (live at cbgb)
• "Ecnegludni Fles Sseldnim"
• "JX-47"
• "Shnooze"
• "Cake"
• "I Hate Everyone"
• "If I Only Didn't Want To F The Ones Who Didn't Want To F Me"
• "Agents"
• "Bring The Pain" (new wave)
• "Tornado" (cassingle version)
• "This Isn't Good"
• "Dickface" (demo)
• "Tight 8-bit"
• "I Think I Turned 22"
• "Free As A Birdie"

Artist: Mindless Self Indulgence is an American (NYC) band formed in New York in 1997. Co-produced by singer Jimmy Urine and producer, James Galus, their music has a mixed style including punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, hip-hop, and industrial.

The band was formed when Urine was joined by fellow musicians Steve, Righ?, Vanessa Y.T., Kitty along with manager/co-producer, James Galus. They have released four albums, two EPs, one live album, and one live DVD, several Billboard chart topping singles and videos that have garnered over five million views. Rather than signing traditional record contracts, the band has licensed the vast majority of their albums to distributors and record labels, retaining ownership of the music. Their most recent full length easily entered the Billboard top 30 while releasing three #1 selling singles in the United States.

The band maintains a fiercely devout fanbase, and has opened for many well-known acts such as Linkin Park, System of a Down, Korn, Sum 41, My Chemical Romance and Rammstein. Notable bands who have opened for them include My Chemical Romance, The Dresden Dolls, Rasputina, Shiney Toy Guns, The Birthday Massacre, Tub Ring, Dir en grey and Velvet Code.
In January 2009 the band headlined the Kerrang! Relentless Energy Drink tour (UK), supported by Dir en grey, Bring Me The Horizon, Black Tide and In Case of Fire.

Age: 17+

Challenge Issues:

• Explicit Lyrics

Tighter does contain explicit lyrics. The CD can be purchased in a censored version, but this is not recommend as censorship doesn't have much of a place in the library. While many adults like to believe that teens don't cuss, they do. They have the Internet, they watch movies, they listen to music with swear words. It happens. MSI is not always obscene, but their use of certain phrases and words is part of what makes them offbeat. Teens (and especially alt teens) don't want safe music choices. They want music that speaks to them and MSI does just that.  


Why I Included This Album: As stated earlier, MSI was one of my favorite bands in Jr. High and High School. You'll see I recommended the album for a much higher age group than when I was first exposed to the band in eighth grade. While younger teens are bound to listen to the album, it can be quite explicit. However, their unique sound translates over to the alternative culture astonishingly well. They are really a teen band at heart with their outlandish lyrics and crazy outfits. In this way they are much like Lady GaGa, using shock appeal to pull away from everything that is "adult" in nature.

The End, 2011, ASIN: B004SKS17C

4x4=12 - deadmau5

4x4=12 is the fifth album released by deadmau5. It is a progressive, electro-house album, consistent with other albums released by deadmau5. Some of the tracks are upbeat, dance songs, while others are melodic and slow. This creates a nice blend of tracks on the album. My personal electronic music tastes tend towards DJs who throw more variety into their mixes, but deadmau5 has caught the attention of the mainstream music world and teens love his CDs. Having seen him live, 4x4=12 seems out of place. Live deadmau5 music is fast paced and energetic. When listening to this album I felt stuck in the infinite repeating track loop. Most critics of electronic music will tell you that it all sounds the same, that it's too repetitive. Unfortunately 4x4=12 fits quite well within that stereotype. I think teens who are just getting into the electronic music scene will find deadmau5 to be a good entry point. It's popular, he tours frequently and his live shows are fun. 

Track Listing:

• "Some Chords"
• "Sofi Needs a Ladder" (featuring SOFI)
• "A City in Florida"
• "Bad Selection"
• "Animal Rights" (with Wolfgang Gartner)
• "I Said (Michael Woods Remix)" (with Chris Lake)
• "Cthulhu Sleeps"  
• "Right This Second"  
• "Raise Your Weapon" (featuring Greta Svabo Bech)
• "One Trick Pony" (featuring SOFI)
• "Everything Before"  

Artist: Joel Zimmerman doesn’t like being called a DJ. The dance music phenomenon from Toronto, better known as deadmau5, rolls his eyes at the description which he sees as a hopelessly outdated way of describing what he does. His sets are closer to live performances as he assembles tracks on the fly using cutting edge computer technology including software that he’s helped to write himself. “There are no CDs involved,” he explains. “It’s a technological orgy up there and I try and keep it more my music than anyone else’s. If people come out to see deadmau5 I want them to hear deadmau5 music.” 

Now firmly established as one of the most innovative and popular electronic live acts globally, Deadmau5 has had an outstanding year. His driving foresight is constantly pushing the technological boundaries of his stage show. In May 2010 he unveiled the visual orgy of the cube stage and his highly anticipated L.E.D ‘mau5ehead’. The year climaxed with a 17,000 capacity sell out show at London’s Earls Court. He is the first ever electronic artist to headline the legendary venue. Additionally the dancefloor icon’s multi award winning albums have seen him achieve that rare balance, appealing to both the clubbing cognoscenti and musical masses. 

Zimmerman grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario, near Toronto. As a kid he was obsessed with computers and started making chip tunes as a teenager. “They’re musical compositions made using the chips from old computers,” he explains. Soon, his chip tunes attracted the attention of the Los Angeles nu metal community which resulted in him contributing to Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee’s 1999 album Methods Of Mayhem. The unlikely duo remain friends as well as collaborators; in 2009 they released two electro house singles — Chicken and Redic — under the name W.T.F.?, while they also reunited to play at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival in 2010. It was around this time that Zimmerman became involved with a low-budget dance music radio show in Niagara Falls called The Party Revolution. “Back then, cutting edge dance music in Niagara Falls meant Babylon Zoo,” he laughs. His job was “technical whizz kid”. In other words, he was the one who knew how to use a computer. “All those guys were interested in was recording two turntables onto a computer and burning off a CD so they could send it the radio station,” he explains. “I learnt about digital audio and making music on computers and new editing techniques. Every new bit of technology that was released to do with making music, I was on top of it. They were still dinosauring it out playing on turntables.” When he tried to convince local recording studios that they needed to embrace computers at the turn of the millennium, no-one was interested. “They had an old school approach to recording music. They were really in denial about that kind of thing. It was rocket science to them. They didn’t get it.” Zimmerman did. Eventually he managed to convince a small studio in Toronto to let him install new technology and he helped to record numerous local bands. 

2010 saw his relentless work schedule continue unabated. In February he performed at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver during the medal presentations. In March, he won three International Dance Music Awards including Best Artist (Solo) and Best American DJ. In April he won Dance Recording of the Year for For Lack of a Better Name at the Juno Awards In May, his sold out UK tour included three consecutive nights at the Brixton O2 Academy as he continued to redefine dance music in the live arena. Fans were treated to the visual orgy of his new stage show, and of course, the unveiling of his highly anticipated L.E.D ‘mau5ehead’. Like a mutant rodent Frankenstein, it had finally been given life! In June, deadmau5 won Best Electro House Artist, Best Progressive House Artist, and “most influential, relevant and forward-thinking person in electronic music over the past twelve months” at the Beatport Music Awards. He also performed live at the Electric Daisy Carnival’s Kinetic Fields section in Los Angeles, made his main stage UK festival debut at Creamfields and also embarked upon an exclusive weekly resident for Cream @ Amnesia in Ibiza. http://www.myspace.com/deadmau5

Why I Included This Album: I've been to the Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles when deadmau5 was playing. He filled the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at USC beyond it's capacity, which is 93,607. Every single seat was taken, the entire field was full and people were crammed into aisles. It was incredible. The average age of most of the people in that crowd was probably well below 21. Teens love deadmau5, who has broken through into the mainstream music stream. 

Ultra Records, 2010, ASIN: B004EG2JO6 

The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga

Originally The Fame Monster tracks were intended to be part of a re-release of Lady GaGa's first album, The Fame. Instead GaGa told fans that album could stand alone and did not need to be part of The Fame. The record is about the dark side of fame. Songs were written from GaGa's experiences within Hollywood during her first tour. GaGa told fans "While traveling the world for two years, I've encountered several monsters, each represented by a different song on the new record: my 'Fear of Sex Monster,' my 'Fear of Alcohol Monster,' my 'Fear of Love Monster,' my 'Fear of Death Monster,' my 'Fear of Loneliness Monster,' etc. -- I spent a lot of nights in Eastern Europe, and this album is a pop experimentation with industrial/Goth beats, 90's dance melodies, an obsession with the lyrical genius of 80's melancholic pop, and the runway. I wrote while watching muted fashion shows and I am compelled to say my music was scored for them." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fame_Monster 

Personally I can't find much enjoyment in GaGa's music. While many have compared her to Madonna with her outlandish costumes, poignant sexually charged lyrics, and pop tunes, I find Madonna's voice to be much better than GaGa's. However, generally GaGa's lyrics are interesting and her music videos are entertaining to watch. Many of the songs on The Fame Monster seemed to sound similar, though "Speechless" did have a much more rock ballad feel to it than pop dance song. Many teens find GaGa to be a powerful role model as she sings about sexual freedom and gay rights.   

Track Listing: 

• "Bad Romance"
• "Alejandro"
• "Monster"
• "Speechless"
• "Dance in the Dark"
• "Telephone (Featuring Beyonce)"
• "So Happy I Could Die"
• "Teeth"                        

Artist: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American pop singer-songwriter. She is officially the most powerful female celebrity in the world, having overtaken said title from Oprah Winfrey on May 19 2011. After performing in the rock music scene of New York City's Lower East Side in 2003 and later enrolling at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, she soon signed with Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. During her early time at Interscope, she worked as a songwriter for fellow label artists and captured the attention of rapper Akon, who recognized her vocal abilities, and signed her to his own label, Kon Live Distribution.

Gaga came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album The Fame (2008), which was a commercial success and achieved international popularity with the singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". The album reached number one on the record charts of six countries, accomplished positions within the top-ten worldwide, and topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart while simultaneously peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. Achieving similar worldwide success, The Fame Monster (2009), its follow-up, produced a further two global chart-topping singles "Bad Romance" and "Telephone" and allowed her to embark on a second global headlining concert tour, The Monster Ball Tour, just months after having finished her first, The Fame Ball Tour. Her second studio album, Born This Way, is scheduled for release on May 23, 2011 after the arrival of its eponymous lead single "Born This Way", which achieved the number-one spot in countries worldwide and was the fastest-selling single in iTunes history, selling one million copies in five days.

Inspired by glam rock artists like David Bowie, Elton John and Queen, as well as pop singers such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Amy Winehouse, Gaga is well-recognized for her outré sense of style in fashion, in performance and in her music videos. Her contributions to the music industry have garnered her numerous achievements including five Grammy Awards, among twelve nominations; two Guinness World Records; and the estimated sale of fifteen million albums and fifty-one million singles worldwide. Billboard named her both the Artist of the Year in 2010 and the top selling artist of 2010; ranking her as the 73rd Artist of the 2000s decade. Gaga has been included in Time magazine's annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world as well as Forbes' list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world. Forbes has placed her on a number of its annual lists, including recently the number one spot on their annual list of the 100 most powerful celebrities, the Forbes Celebrity 100. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Gaga

Age: 16+

Challenge Issues:  

• Explicit Lyrics

Gaga sings about sex and does use some explicit lyrics. It is not the center or main focus point of the music. Her CDs are popular and she is a many times over award winner. It's important to include her CDs in any collection which wishes to be relevant to teens.

Why I Included This Album: No one can deny that Lady GaGa has taken the world by storm. Nowhere is this more true than with the teen population. Popular CDs like this will see high circulation rates at libraries as teens listen for the first time or share with friends. With GaGa's newest CD coming out in just a few days many teens may want to revisit her older CDs.

Streamline/Interscope/KonLive/Cherrytree, 2010, ASIN: B0034KHFM4

But I'm a Cheerleader - Jamie Babbit (Director) & Brian Wayne Peterson (Screenplay)

Watcher's Annotation: Megan's parents send her to a rehab camp for gay teens.

Plot Summary: Megan is your typical All-American, blonde, popular high school girl. She's on the cheerleading team and dates the star football player. Yet, she doesn't enjoy kissing her boyfriend all that much, pays quite a bit of attention to her teammates in the locker room, only has pictures of women up in her locker, and is a vegetarian. Megan's parents decide it's time to stage an intervention, seeking help from Mary Brown at True Directions. True Directions is a rehab facility where teens are sent to be "cured" of their homosexuality. Each of the teens has to go through the five-step program, at the end of which they are given a certificate declaring them heterosexual. The first step is admitting your problem. While Megan doesn't really think she's a lesbian, she plays along. Teens at True Directions are put into male and female groups, performing gender oriented tasks, finding the root of their homosexuality, demystifying the opposite sex, and last simulating heterosexual intercourse. While at the camp Megan begins making friends with the other teens. She finds a friend in Graham, who fully believes she is a lesbian herself, but whose parents are threatening to cut her off if she is. One night the teens sneak out with the help of two ex-ex-gays and former students at True Directions. The group goes to a local gay bar where Megan and Graham kiss for the first time. Megan struggles with her new found identity and the teachings at True Directions. 

Critical Evaluation: But I'm a Cheerleader is a funny, sharp, witty, lovely satirical comedy. It feels just as relevant today as it did in 1999 when it was released. In many ways it's even more relevant with gay rights issues in nearly every newspaper in the country. One visually striking element in the movie is Babbit's use of color and costume. When first introduced to Megan she is presented within a small town with a 1950s feel. There are lots of browns and oranges. The costumes are quaint, natural, and have a retro feel to them. They scream of the All-American, Leave it to Beaver stereotype. When she comes to True Directions things are very different. The sets have a Edward Scissorhands feel. There are bright bold colors and clean lines. The teens wear bright pinks and blues. The furniture is modern with lots of plastic, fake flowers, and pink flamingos. Everything is divided by gender, giving striking opposition to the set. The pink outfits placed on some of the more "butch" girls are absurd looking and vice-versa with the boys. Even during the graduation ceremony at the end, the outfits are made of PVC. They enhance the filmmaker's stance of how false places like True Directions are in the real world. Babbit also made some wonderful casting decisions in Cheerleader.  One of the best roles is done by RuPaul, who plays Mike the boys counselor at True Directions. In his role he is out of drag, playing an ex-gay. Those who know who RuPaul is will delight watching him struggle to be straight and not try to pay attention to the hard bodied son of Mary, Rock. The movie is a great social commentary piece which speaks about gender roles, homophobia, religion, and stereotypes. The script is witty and faced paced as well, leaving the audience laughing out loud through most of the film. Yet, with all its humor Cheerleader carries with it a powerful message against intolerance and hate.   

Director/Screenplay: Jamie Babbit (born November 16, 1970) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. She directed the films But I'm a Cheerleader, The Quiet and Itty Bitty Titty Committee. She has also directed episodes of television programs including Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, Nip/Tuck and The L Word. She is involved with film production company POWER UP. Babbit was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She grew up in Cleveland with her father, a lawyer and law school professor, and her mother who ran a treatment program for teenagers with drug and alcohol problems, before her death in 2006. The program was called New Directions, and it provided inspiration for the fictional "reparative therapy" (conversion therapy) camp "True Directions" in But I'm a Cheerleader. Babbit began acting at the Cleveland Play House at the age of seven, later moving into stage management and lighting. She studied West African Studies at Barnard College (graduating in 1993) and began taking film classes at New York University during her summer vacations.Babbit lives in Los Angeles and has two children with producer Andrea Sperling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Babbit

Brian Wayne Peterson is a screenwriter and television producer. He wrote the script for 1999 film But I'm a Cheerleader and has worked on many episodes of Smallville as writer and producer since 2002. His consistent writing partner on Smallville is Kelly Souders. Shortly after Peterson graduated from USC School of Cinematic Arts, Jamie Babbit, the director for But I'm a Cheerleader, asked Peterson to write a script for her film after reading a story he had written about a gay cowboy. Peterson used his own personal experiences to help him write the story, which is about a group of teenagers who attend conversion therapy camp. He is gay himself, and had had some experience of conversion therapy while working at a prison clinic for sex offenders. In 1999, Variety named him one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wayne_Peterson

Genre: Comedy

Curriculum Ties: CA Health Standards Grades 9-12

• 1.10.G Recognize that there are individual differences in growth and development, physical appearance, gender roles, and sexual orientation.
• 2.3.G Assess the discrepancies between actual and perceived social norms related to sexual activity among teenagers
• 2.5.G Evaluate how culture, media, and other people influence perceptions about body image, gender roles, sexuality, attractiveness, relationships, and sexual orientation
• 1.4.M Describe qualities that contribute to a positive self-image.
• 8.3.M Object appropriately to teasing of peers and community members that is based on perceived personal characteristics and sexual orientation.

Movietalking Ideas: Who benefits from camps like True Directions, the teen or the parent or anyone? How can we overcome hate and intolerance against the LGBTQ community?

Age: 17+

Challenge Issues:

• Homosexuality
• Sex
• Language

Some people are going to have a problem with this movie because it deals with homosexuality. The movie originally struggled to even receive an R rating because of a scene where two girls kiss. Other than that scene and some swearing, the movie is much more tame than many PG-13 movies featuring straight couples. This movie is a must see for teens as it gives them an understanding about intolerance, and learning to accept themselves and others for who they really are. 

Why I Included This Movie: But I'm a Cheerleader has been one of my favorite films since I saw it my freshman year of college during an LGBTQ Alliance meeting. The movie fosters conversation. Don't think that I've ever seen it with people and then not talked about gay rights issues after. The movie shows teens that it's okay to be yourself, that homosexuality is not something that can be changed, and to accept everyone for who they are.  

Cheerleader LLC, 1999, Rated R, ASIN: B00009MEB8