KEENE, N.H. 9/24/08 - On Wednesday, October 1, Dr. Diane Levin will explore the impact of media on children and teens and the sexualization of childhood in "So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What we Can Do About It."

The lecture, part of Keene State College's Diverse Lectures from the Field series, will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabel Brown Room in the Student Center.

Levin will give parents and educators the information, skills, and confidence they need to play a proactive role with children around sexual issues, including:

• stories that demonstrate how children internalize what they see and hear
• guidelines and sample conversations for talking with children about these sensitive subjects
• practical strategies for counteracting the disturbing messages that bombard children every day

Dr. Levin is professor of education at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts, where she teaches the summer institute "Media Madness and Children." She has a B.S. in Child Development from Cornell University, an M.S.Ed. in Special Education from Wheelock College, and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Sociology of Education and Child Development from Tufts University.

Levin has been a consultant for a wide range of projects, including five PBS Parents websites: "A Parents' Guide to Girls," "Talking with Children about the News," Talking to Kids about War and Violence," "How to Raise a Child Who Cares," and "The PBS Parents Guide to School." She has worked on the American Psychological Association's "ACT Against Violence" Project and developed statewide violence prevention training for childcare providers for the State of Maine.

She has written or co-written eight books including: So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can do to Protect Their Kids (with Jean Kilbourne); The War Play Dilemma; Teaching Young Children in Violent Times: Building a Peaceable Classroom; and Remote Control Childhood? Combating the Hazards of Media Culture.

Levin speaks around the world on the impact of violence and media on children, families, and schools. Her work has been covered widely in the media including The Boston Globe, Time Magazine, The New York Times, USA Today, and The Washington Post. More information on the speaker can be found at www.dianeelevin.com.

Keene State College's Diverse Voices from the Field lecture series is dedicated to bringing speakers who represent diversity in education to the College, For more information or to request accommodations for a disability, please contact the Education Department at (603) 358-2301.

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