Ueno's first published text, The Study of the 'Sexy Girl' “is about deciphering advertising and media messages and the ways in which they use the image of women. In it, [she] emphasizes how often one can find subtext and an object portrayal of Japanese women.” Ueno's text has led to much discussion and controversy, paving the way for further conversations on gender and feminism within the 1980s. She has stated that “'Sexism in the modern family does not owe its roots to pre-modern traditions, but rather is a merciless product of the post-industrial economic structure.'”