by Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Imran Siddiquee

Marissa Mayer’s hiring at Yahoo! last week wasn’t a rebuttal to Anne-Marie Slaughter’s claim that “women still can’t have it all,” but it is significant proof that companies are capable of valuing women in new and broader ways. Mayer is 7 months pregnant as she takes over the Fortune 500 company – which makes her the first pregnant (and at 37 years of age, the youngest) person to ever be trusted with such a responsibility.

And let it be clear that this is a matter of earned trust.

For too long one of the most harmful stereotypes levied at new mothers has been the idea that they have compromised intellectual ability. Pregnancy brain? Too many distractions? Women themselves acknowledge the juggling act – the multiple demands on their time and attention – but unfounded assumptions often result in many capable women being overlooked for job opportunities and promotions they are more than deserving of.

In the not-so-distant past, companies would even use the idea of potential pregnancy to avoid hiring more women. It’s something that has, in one way or another, impacted every woman who seeks employment in this country.

New mothers are often depicted as distracted or less committed than their peers. Slaughter herself suggests that moms are more likely to feel guilty about leaving their children at home than fathers are, and that this inevitably influences how long they stay in their careers. For decades, our society has used this kind of thought to establish a subconscious standard: yes, of course we will theoretically treat pregnant women and mothers the same as everyone else, but, if given the choice, why would we ever hire them over an equally capable non-pregnant man? And since all women could one day become pregnant, isn’t it less risky to just hire a man for our most important jobs?

Yahoo! and their new CEO just threw that logic out the window. And let’s just say it — good riddance!

What’s clear is that the multi-million dollar company is interested in Marissa Mayer’s talents and abilities above all else – including her gender. They want her to lead their company in a time of difficulty because she is the absolute best person for the job. And yes, they know she’s pregnant.

This is a triumph for all of us, men and women worldwide, who have always known the true value and potential of women. Whether or not you ever planned on being a mother, if you are a woman, your opportunities have expanded overnight.

Of course Marissa has earned a place of privilege and is therefore capable of affording significant childcare. And yes, most Americans don’t have the resources at their fingertips that might allow them to take such a short maternity leave.

Many have unfairly criticized Mayer for her short maternity leave

Yet it’s saddening to see some women use this moment to criticize Marissa rather than rally behind her. Some have said that her two week break from work will set-up unrealistic expectations for all of us; and, some have used it to question her commitment to motherhood. These kinds of attacks are mean, unhelpful, and ultimately shortsighted.

It’s a symptom of what Aaron Sorkin critiqued in a recent episode of The Newsroom – America’s obsession with tabloid culture and “take down” journalism. How does criticizing, judging and taking down other women help us as a society?

As a result of Marissa’s high-profile hiring, we actually all have an extraordinary opportunity here to grow as a culture; to have a real conversation around why more moms in leadership are crucial to our country’s future and why paid maternity/paternity leave is so essential.

Instead of bringing Marissa down, let’s use her example to fight for what elevates us all! And let’s rejoice in the positive impact the news of her hiring might have on our culture.

Perception is everything in this country, and women everywhere are now more likely to be perceived as having what it takes to get a promotion or raise. And as women become more valuable to companies (especially since more of us will now be seen as potential leaders in the workplace), they are more likely to be heard when speaking about other issues we face at work.

The change in perception will impact young women and girls as well, who will begin to see themselves as more capable of following in Mayer’s footsteps – especially because of the kind of company Yahoo! is. This isn’t IBM or even Hewlett-Packard – it’s a hugely recognizable brand amongst youth. As the third largest email client and most popular online news source, it is a significant portal of information for a generation of girls who have grown up on the Internet.

For them to know that a woman – not to mention a future young mother– is in control of such important technology, is beyond exciting. When you consider the grave lack of women in STEM fields, it’s practically revolutionary.

So we should congratulate Mayer and Yahoo! for making this historic choice. We should also, as individuals, celebrate the achievement – especially with young women – and use it to fuel individual career aspirations.

For Yahoo! and the rest of Silicon Valley, this has to be a turning point in the treatment of women at work and for women’s representation in top positions within the industry. This can’t be a one-off situation, but instead a harbinger of change to come.

As we explored in Miss Representation, without role models and inspiring examples, it’s extremely difficult for women in this country to reach the top in any field. And, without more balance in leadership, we can’t truly influence the way women are treated in our culture.

Will Mayer’s hiring transform society overnight? Probably not. But it does mean all women, as Patricia Sellers says, have a “new kind of role model” to aspire towards. A new kind of leader they can look to and dream of becoming.

So let’s say goodbye to the ugliness of the “take down” culture, and instead acknowledge what a gift this is and the chance we now have to grow as a society.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the Founder and CEO of MissRepresentation.org. Follow her on Twitter.

Imran Siddiquee is the Social Media and Communications Manager at MissRepresentation.org. Follow him on Twitter.

by Paul Gilbert

Something is wrong with this next sentence. A 27 year-old man with no children has more influence on young girls than any single human being on the planet.

Say hello to Mark Zuckerberg.

With a net worth of $17 billion dollars after Facebook’s recent IPO, Zuckerberg has suddenly become the 16th wealthiest person in America. But money is only a byproduct of his real power; with over 900 million users, Facebook is the engine driving the social media revolution, an innovation that media experts compare to landmark inventions like the printing press, television and the Internet.

Before I get into a particular issue I have with Facebook as a parent, there’s another number that along with Zuckerberg’s new wealth, is absolutely staggering. That number is zero. While 58% of Facebook users are female and responsible for 62% of the sharing and 71% of the daily fan activity, there is not one woman on its board of directors. After doing the math, I can think of about of a 552 million reasons that’s absolutely wrong.

But stepping back from that big picture, let’s look at a specific impact that this technology tsunami is having on one of its largest constituencies, teenage girls. I’ve been reading a new book by Jim Styer, the founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, the nation’s leading kids-and-media organization, Talking Back to Facebook. Here’s an excerpt, which addresses a very disturbing trend.

“According to a study by Stanford’s Cliff Nass, teen girls tend to present overly thin images of themselves on Facebook. In addition, the more concerned a girl is about her appearance, weight, and body image, the more she tends to check her Facebook profile and vice versa. The new research also shows that many teen girls Photoshop-digitally alter- their photos to appear thinner and carefully select photos for their Facebook profiles that make them look thinner, hoping to receive positive public feedback from their peers. At times, their focus on appearance and thinness verges on compulsion. With digital cameras on their mobile phones, many teen girls constantly monitor how photogenic they look, checking and rechecking their appearance in photos again and again.

Many teen girls also comment incessantly on each other’s appearance in Facebook photos- far more than they would in the real world, since they know that these displays of “friendship” are very public. Typical comments include “OMG! You’re so gorgeous” or “Stop being so cute!” or “You are too hot. SEXXXXy thing!” Indeed some girls interviewed by a Common Sense colleague admitted asking their friends to make positive comments about their appearance in Facebook photos, in hopes that others would make similarly positive remarks. Clearly, many of these girls use Facebook comments about their appearance as measuring sticks for friendship, self-image and basic self worth.”

I have a 16 year-old daughter, who like many girls her age, utilizes Facebook as the epicenter of her social interactions outside of school. Somehow, she has allowed me to be one of her FB friends, although I am forbidden to post on her wall (she also blocks me if I’ve done something to irritate her, which is a fairly common experience). She loves to post photos of herself and her friends, and they generate many of the same kinds of comments as those listed in the study at Stanford. So many of them are based on physical beauty and “sexiness,” that’s it easy to see how much of their identities are tied into how they look. And no one is more susceptible to digital peer pressure than teenagers.

Clearly, one of Facebook’s main attractions is the photos, as evidenced by its recent purchase of Instagram (for $1 billion dollars). And let’s be honest, taking and showing off photos back has always been fun, from the early days of Kodak moments to today’s digital images. But do we want our daughter’s lives centered around a social platform where posting pictures seems more important than what they write about themselves? Which one involves critical thinking and being real and which one is mostly superficial, not to mention full of internal and external judgments? It’s said that the eyes are the mirrors to the soul, but if you spend too much time just looking in the mirror, then, you’re definitely not going very deep.

For those of us old enough to remember, comedian Billy Crystal used to do a parody of actor Fernando Lamas on Saturday Night Live, where his signature comment was “I look mahvelous, but I don’t feel mahvelous. Because, as you know, my credo is “it is better to look good than to feel good.”

Yes, that was just a joke, but seriously, isn’t this a big part of how young girls are projecting themselves on Facebook? Wouldn’t we rather they prefer feeling good to looking good? They say a picture tells a thousand stories, but what does “you’re 2 hot!” or “so SEXXXY!” have to do with being a truly unique individual with thoughts and feelings that aren’t dependent on your looks? Parents can’t underestimate the influence Facebook is having on our daughter’s lives and we need to enter into meaningful dialogues to remind them that especially in a digital universe, beauty is only skin deep.

While we’re processing that thought, let’s go back to the bigger picture. Zuckerberg structured the IPO so he would retain two seats on its Board of Directors, to guarantee his control over the company. Of course, he didn’t imagine that less than one week after going public, investors would begin filing lawsuits against Facebook for withholding key information, setting off a public relations nightmare.

So I have an idea. This would be the perfect time for Zuckerberg to do the smart thing and the right thing by giving stockholders an opportunity to vote on a female candidate to join his board of directors (preferably with children of her own). This won’t repair the strained relationship between the financial markets and Facebook, but at least it will ensure that women have a voice in decisions about our daughter’s online social environment, which is currently being overseen strictly by men.

Now, that would look and feel mahvelous.

Paul Gilbert has a background in broadcast journalism, professional sports and corporate communications. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, Newsweek and Psychology Today.

Last fall she organized a hugely successful Miss Representation event at her school, and we recently had the chance to ask her how she managed to find the time and resources (in between classes) to make it all happen.

Miss Representation: We were so impressed by your ability to organize and raise the funds for a screening at Miami University of Ohio, primarily through your own volition. What inspired you to take on this project?

Liesel: I saw the trailer last year, and that’s what sparked my interest. I was really empowered by the trailer, and watched it over and over. After seeing it I wanted to spread that message to others so that they would have the same feelings I did.

MR: What was the first step?

Liesel: I just went on missrepresentation.org, found the education section and then contacted the production company ro*co films to discover how I could become involved. We discussed the option of hosting a screening and they also brought up the opportunity to bring Ms. Newsom to campus.

MR: So once you realized the cost and logistics, how did you go about making it happen? Have you done anything like this before?

Liesel: I had never organized anything this large before. I loved doing it. I started by thinking of organizations and departments on campus that would be related to and interested in supporting Miss Representation. I contacted places like The Women’s Center, Women’s Business Department and Women’s Gender and Sexuality studies, and sent everyone the trailer.

I was able to garner some interest and kept corresponding with them – eventually some of these groups signed on. We were fortunate enough to get plenty of support for bringing Ms. Newsom to campus. I continued to meet with quite a few people, sending e-mails to chairs of departments, presidents of organizations – telling them about Miss Rep, explaining how it was relative and why it was important/significant to bring to campus. I stressed why our University needed exposure to this.

All total I spent about two months getting sponsors for the event.

MR: Once you had this interest, what was your strategy for actually planning such a large event?

Liesel: First thing I did, which I thought was really important, was having a representative from each sponsor be on a planning committee. It was seven individuals, including myself, and from there I would distribute tasks on a weekly basis. A lot of the tasks were promotion based.

For instance the Panhellenic Council (Greek Life office) had representatives attend all the chapter meetings to make connections with the presidents. Women in Business, which was another sponsor, made the event mandatory for their women. They also took charge in making promotional materials – posters, flyers and postcards. We used the design provided by Miss Representation and modified it with our own information and posted those around campus.

An interactive bulletin board advertising the screening at the University and encouraging participation.

Liesel: In early January we started online marketing – we made a Twitter account (@MissRepMiami) and a Facebook event, and I was really active in maintaining those. The planning committee needed some more time to design and create the posters, and there are some campus regulations around flyers, but we started putting posters up about two weeks in advance of the event. We also ordered a large poster to be framed throughout campus.

We appeared in a lot of newspapers and blogs before and after the event, as well as on the local television station. I was either contacted or I contacted newspapers directly to get this press.

MR: Tell us about the event itself. How did it go?

Liesel: It was a fantastic turnout. The room seats about 300 and it was at full capacity – and this was a public event – and actually we had to turn people away. I’m hoping to have another screening in the fall for those that didn’t get to see it, and a lot of people have already contacted me about co-sponsoring that, which is wonderful.

There was a moderated discussion and Q+A in addition to the film screening. I led the discussion – came up with most of the questions ahead of time, and asked the planning committee for some too.

MR: What was it like seeing the film amongst all of your peers at an event you had put together?

Liesel: Being around others who were affected by the film changed the way that I viewed it. There were gasps in the audience. And that definitely affected me – made me feel even stronger than I did when watching it alone. I also felt more inspired and I was really pleased that others saw what I saw the first time. It made me love what I was seeing more.

Liesel: The message of Miss Representation resonates with me now more than I thought it would. I think every single day I’m fully conscious of things going on in the media and society. I now unconsciously notice things in the media all the time and I’m always using my media literacy skills. I think it impacts me in my classes, in my decisions – even my personal decisions.

I think that the more exposed to all of the things Miss Representation points out I am, the more I realize how much society needs to change. I would like to be a catalyst for that change. Because it’s really scary to see peers of mine buy into that culture – it’s dangerous. I’ve tried to maintain being a good influence and representation of the message of the film.

Personally, just leading the whole event, I developed as a leader. In leading the planning committee I had to make a lot of big decisions on my own – not always having an advisor to run it by. Miss Representation really encouraged me to not have any doubts in my dreams and all the things I’ve desired, and to just go after it.

MR: Are there specific dreams or goals that you now feel more empowered to pursue?

Liesel: Like I always wanted to go into law and have a desire to go into politics, and I think because I have this awareness from Miss Representation now, I’m very confident about doing those things.

MR: What was the number one thing that helped you pull this off?

Liesel: I think just the support and diversity of support from all of our sponsors, female peers, and female administrators at the University really helped make this a success. Because Miss Representation has such a strong message and because the film is so appealing, it really took off with my peers and the administrators and from their it just grew. So I really give a lot of credit to them.

Follow Liesel on Twitter @lieselmschmader, and @MissRepMiami

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While she is uniquely skilled, Liesel’s story is one that is being replicated by Miss Representation advocates at universities and schools across the country.

You can organize your own event today! If you’re at an educational institution like Liesel, contact kristin@rocofilms and visit this page for more information. If you’re hoping to hold a broader community event, just fill out this form to get started!

I am originally from Sweden but have now lived in the United States for almost four years. I originally came here to do research in economics and I just love this country! The people, the energetic society, and the countless opportunities all contribute to my fabulous experience here.

However, I would lie if I said that everything is great here. Because it isn’t. One thing that certainly isn’t so great is that it is much tougher to be a woman in the US than to be a man. Of course, this is true in most parts of the world, to some degree. But when I compare what I see in the United States with the situation in Sweden and in other Scandinavian countries, I realize that it is much harder to be a woman here than it would have to be.

I came to the United States in 2008, in the midst of the presidential election campaign. I was surprised at how little attention the candidates paid to issues regarding gender equality. I therefore decided to look into the American system and see what the status for women’s rights was like – maybe the reason that the presidential candidates didn’t talk about these issues was that all was already fixed?

It turned out to be the contrary. I was stunned when I learned that the US is one of only four countries in the world without a law mandating paid time off for new parents (the other three countries are Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland). I was equally shocked when I realized how much the parents (who cannot be at home with their babies because of the lack of parental leave) have to pay for childcare. Compared to Scandinavia, the pre-school tuition is about 12 times higher in the US.

A classic Swedish ad for parental leave from the 70´s. Photo: Reio Rüster

These things did upset me as a women – but also as an economist. I am the first to admit that the United States has been doing many things right over the last decades in order to promote entrepreneurship, economic growth and prosperity. But I am at loss when it comes to women’s issues: why hasn’t the United States paved the way for women? In what way is it economically sound to make it hard, or even impossible, to combine family life and a successful, well-paying career? Better conditions for working mothers and fathers would not only benefit the parents and their children – but the whole economy.

Now it is 2012 and there is again a presidential election underway. This time I am less surprised when I see what a non-issue women’s rights in general, and parental leave and subsidized childcare in particular, is in the United States. But I cannot for my life understand why all you strong, smart and accomplished women who make up 51 percent of this country accept this. Why don’t you demand more?

When I discuss these issues with people here in the United States I am sometimes told that things are just “different” here. That parental leave and subsidized childcare may be a good idea in Scandinavia and Europe but that it just “wouldn’t work” here. However, no one has so far been able to explain to me why this is, and in what way the US is so different. After all, women give birth to children here in the same way as in the rest of the world, and as everywhere else these children have to be taken care of in one way of another. The Scandinavian countries all place in the top when it comes to women’s issues and they all have very generous conditions for working parents. At the same time, these very same countries are top performers in economic terms. In what way is the US so different that it wouldn’t be worth trying this out?

Johanna Mollerstrom is Ph.D. Candidate in Economics at Harvard University. She is a former Deputy Member of the Swedish Parliament and the author of “Freedom and Feminism” and “Mine Yours or No one’s“

Goodbye, Senator Snowe. I am sad to see you go.

I will miss you as a woman and as a Democrat.

As a woman, I feel a private camaraderie with you every time you break with the male leadership in your party and refuse to be bullied into blind bloc voting. Your independent, pragmatic and thoughtful leadership feels feminine.

Even though I am on the “other side” politically, I will miss your presence in the Senate. Yes, I wince when you don’t vote with me and I am very upset when the issues are big ones. But you represent more than your ability to crossover to “my side”. You know how to cross over. We need more politicians like you.

When gleeful liberal email alerts, celebrating the opportunities offered by your vacancy, started rolling into my inbox, I felt a disconnect. They seemed to miss the point: your value as a centrist is more consequential than your individual votes on specific issues. Leaders like you keep the political discourse relevant, while modeling the importance of negotiation and collaboration in politics.

Apparently, Maine will likely replace you with a Democrat. Will that Democrat be a woman? Will that Democrat be someone as fiercely independent?

Regardless of the outcome, I will miss a powerful female role model and a politician I couldn’t predict.

Thank you for your service, Senator Snowe.

Sincerely,

Kyle Redford, Teacher

Kyle is an elementary school teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.

While the chips are clearly stacked against today’s young girls, amazing women everywhere continue to rise above the stats. You or someone you know is probably one of them.

This March we are collecting these stories of everyday women who have overcome the odds – the stereotypes and misrepresentations – in order to reach their goals. Inspired ourselves by the voice of Sandra Fluke and the growing strength of the women’s rights movement, through your successes we hope to motivate new generations of girls to reach for their dreams. Send us your stories!

Sources: Catalyst, The White House Project, Girl Scouts of America, Center for American Women in Politics, Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

Over 50,000 people have already joined the MissRepresentation.org campaign to end sexism and reach gender parity worldwide.

Take the pledge today and join us on Twitter where we will be discussing the impact of media on women’s leadership throughout Women’s History Month.

Just recently, I read an article on Forbes.com titled “Why Most Women Will Never Become CEO”, written by Gene Marks. The author justifies his opinion by narrating two stories about picking his children up from the movies. He compares the conversation of his daughter and her friends to that of his son and his friends. From this, he concludes that such an experience epitomizes the difference between men and women in chief corporate positions.

First off, I don’t think that anyone can justify someone’s future from some small talk in a car ride home from the movie theater. I also believe that there is no correlation between what someone deems important in his or her teenage years to what actually matters in a corporate position.

With that said, Marks explains “all” that is holding women back in the workplace. A woman cannot be too attractive for the workplace, but still must be considered good looking. She must be able to handle being a fulltime mother and a fulltime employee.

He continues to list contradictory expectations of women in the corporate realm. But not once does he acknowledge how determined and persistent women are, as they remain working diligently in what has long been a very patriarchal society. Despite the barriers in place, women are actually improving the male-dominated society. In a research study done in 2007 by Catalyst, on average, Fortune 500 companies with higher representation of women board directors perform better financially than those with lower representation.

It’s not easy being a woman in a man’s world. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible, as Marks seems to suggest. The reason why it’s tough to be successful corporately is because of the men who can’t handle the competition. Successful women don’t need the approval of insecure men. We’re capable of climbing to the top of the ladder, no matter who’s below to comment on the view.

I believe we shouldn’t be constrained by these definitions created by men who don’t even know our potential. Men shouldn’t be able to socially limit women. If rules are meant to be broken, why can’t societal constructs? There is no need for us to allow the concept of “women are inferior” to continue. We all have aspirations, now it is up to us to achieve them. It is up to us to define ourselves in our own words. It is our responsibility to change the meaning of being “woman” in society so that elementary school girls, college students, women starting their occupations in the corporate world, and all future generations of girls know that we can be on the same level as men in every aspect. There should be no difference in gender and we must work to eliminate gender discrimination. It is hypocritical to place women’s beauty as qualification to be successful in the future, when all it takes is power and capability for men to be deemed victorious.

We must attempt to prevent the fueling of male chauvinism. Such childish jokes about women should be stopped and called out. These only support the subordination of women and label women as subservient. It is our job to break down the glass ceiling that is in reality a bunch of males trying to run the system in their favor. Yes, women have a lot of progress to continue making a cultural shift, however, as Catherine Pulsifer says: “No action, no change. Limited action, limited change. Lots of action – Change occurs.”

Women have the capability to make this change, we just have to start acting.

Malika is a freshman in college and an intern at MissRepresentation.org

Check out our Take Action page for a number of ways you can make a difference for women and girls today.

I’m in awe of the collection of talent participating here – it’s a prime example of the power of women supporting one another. The FORTUNE summit itself is co-chaired by three amazing women – Pattie Sellers, Nina Easton and Stephanie Mehta – who have partnered to bring together successful people from all walks of life. Pattie was also instrumental in connecting us, during the filming of Miss Representation, with writer Jessica Shambora (now at Facebook) for the piece below, which compliments the themes of the final documentary.

Mentoring really is a “two-way” street and it’s inspiring to see in action the impact that brilliant women can have on one another. Check it out!

Follow Jennifer on Twitter: @jensiebelnewsom

Over the last few weeks I’ve been fortunate enough to attend intimate events with prominent female political leaders speaking about the value of investing in women. Tina Chen, Chief of Staff for Michelle Obama recently spoke to women’s foundations in San Francisco; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke at the APEC Women’s Economic Summit in SF; Jean Quan, Mayor of Oakland, spoke at a celebration for the 100 year anniversary of the women’s right to vote.

In all instances the women spoke of the common qualities female leaders bring to their positions, which, if embraced by others, could completely alter our culture. Mainly they spoke of what we call transformative leadership, which includes characteristics like collaboration, empathy, empowering others, and creating a “win win” situation for all. These are often called “feminine qualities” and we see time and time again that they can be more effective than the traditional male “command and control” style of leadership.

In addition to the examples that Pat Mitchell mentions in this clip, I think about Secretary Clinton and her ability to collaborate with world leaders to find peaceful solutions. Or Indra Nooyi CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the world, PepsiCo, who is empowering others through the recently launched Women’s Inspiration Network to increase diversity in the workplace and invest in female entrepreneurs globally. Just two of thousands of examples.

Yet- why do we then find so many people shying away from embracing such effectiveness? It often has to do with language and the negative connotations associated with concepts like “feminine leader.” We are taught to believe that to be “feminine” is to be weak. As Mitchell mentions in this clip, the media is often responsible for perpetuating this myth.

Miss Representation focuses on our need to shift the societal mindset around leadership and begin to redefine the meanings of words like “masculine” and “feminine.”

Collaboration and empathy are not signs of weakness – they are strengths that both men and women can bring to leadership. So while we recognize and celebrate the abilities of women, we must also encourage more men to embrace these same skills in themselves.

When that happens, we will truly see a more representative and effective leadership.