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Article

Abstract

Girls’ studies has emerged as a dynamic area of scholarship that examines the cultural construction of girlhood, the role that girls play in society, their identity formation, and their representation in media. This paper extends previous research by interviewing young girls about their interactions with each other as they view and interpret animated cartoons. Expanding claims that Girl Power programs such as The Powerpuff Girls empower viewers, I also discuss the role of third wave, commodity, and post feminism in influencing girls’ expectations of gender equality even as they embrace gender role differences. In discussing the importance of researchers engaging with young girls, I also address some of the challenges that accompany (and perhaps discourage) conducting audiences studies with young people.

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