I say advertising works. Watch this:

I believe that changing the channel is a choice. Walking by the magazine rack with eyes covered is a choice. But, come on! Advertisers pay big bucks because it works.

And so, our girls are inundated with messages about looks, sluttiness, superficiality and meanness and they grow up either trying to be like Sarah Jessica Parker's Sex and The City character or giving up and watching it on TV and reading romance novels wishing they could be her.

I think the answer is men.

A girl whose father supports her accomplishments, her inner beauty and her unique qualities will go further to negate the messages than anything else. Like Rachel Lucas pointed out, the irony of the bitchy women that men are stumbling across in their dating experiences, is that a man's influence on a little girl helped create that woman. And that includes the men who cede parenting to their wives or ex-wives.

Men, make sure to have a relationship with your daughters. You are the difference. She will relate to all men based on her relationship with you. If you're unhappy with the state of femaledom these days, make a difference for the future.

Fathers, be good to your daughters.

Cross-posted at MelissaClouthier.com