The REAL hot 100 is a grassroots media project that recognizes and celebrates young women who are working to make the world a better place and provides the resources and networking necessary to help these remarkable women succeed.

Young promiscuous heiress? Talented but trashy superstar? Ghetto fabulous girl?
Whether it’s the super-skinny blonde gracing the cover of magazines, the scantily-clad women grinding in rap videos, or even the ditzy girl who gets the guy on reality t.v., young women are deluged with negative, unrealistic, and unattainable images of womanhood from birth.

What about the young woman pioneering a path in biodiesel technologies? Or the woman who developed an MBA support and training program for women and minorities? Or the girl next door who wants to run for city council someday? Where are the women who are breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes? How can we amplify their voices?

The almost complete absence of positive, strong images of young women in the media can be devastating to a younger woman and quantifiably harmful to society as a whole. The REAL hot 100 challenges pop culture's breastacular image of female attractiveness by celebrating young women for their brains, social activism and efforts to make the world a better place. The annual REAL hot 100 list shows that young women are “hot” for reasons beyond looking good in a magazine. By featuring this list of young women from around the country doing incredible things in their every day lives, we’re battling the popular notion that all young women have to offer is outward appearances. The annual list is just a first step. Through the REAL hot 100 network, nominees and winners can combine their resources, share strategies and join forces to further their social causes and to affect real change.

Founded in 2005 in an effort to combat the lack of positive, strong images of young women in the media, the REAL hot 100 shows that young women are "hot" for reasons beyond their ability to look cute in a magazine. REALLY hot women are smart. REALLY hot women work for change. REALLY hot women speak their minds. And, while some REALLY hot women might look awesome in a bikini, they know that’s not all they have to offer.

The REAL hot 100 list is compiled of women who best represent the intelligence, drive and diversity of young women in the U.S. The REAL hot 100 website highlights the important -- but often overlooked -- work these women are doing to improve our world and provides them with an infinitely expansive network of supportive, like-minded, action-oriented women – all while inspiring others to follow their lead.