What Is it All About?
A ceremony where movies, TV shows, commercials, print advertisements, music videos, or songs receive a “No, Thank You” award for perpetuating negative stereotypes or attitudes related to growth and development topics (e.g., victim blaming, misogynistic attitudes, sexist jokes, unhealthy relationships, negative body image).
Why Do It?
We receive negative messages about gender roles, behaviours, sexist social norms, and body image through various forms of media, sometimes without even realizing it. It’s time to challenge the status quo and think critically about why these images and messages are so deeply integrated in our media and commercial environments.
How Do We Do It?
Determine the date, location, and length of the ceremony. Invite teachers and other adults to help plan and participate in the event.
Recruit students to act as emcees.
Create an event agenda.
With the group co-construct criteria for negative stereotypes perpetuated in the media in order to receive the “No, Thank You” award.
Write a script for all of the speakers.
In small groups, discuss a specific movie, TV show, commercial, print advertisement, music video, or song, and how the messaging or imaging contributes to gender norms and/or stereotypes around sexual violence and harassment.
Brainstorm how the messages and images in the media could be re-framed (e.g., to be more feminist, to support/believe the victim, to represent diverse body types).
What Else Do We Need?
- Reviews or plot summaries of movies or TV shows
- Sample commercials, print advertisements, music videos, and songs for participants to watch, look at, or listen to
- Optional: Incentives or SWAG given out to students as they leave
How Do We Get Creative?
Create alternative lyrics, movie posters, ads, etc. with more positive messages and images.
Create a social media campaign promoting alternative positive messaging to the school community.
Adapted from exposé: A smoke-free youth initiative by Ottawa Public Health.