Girls have the right to be themselves and to resist gender stereotypes

The first right for girls on Girls, Inc Bill of Rights is that girls have the right to be themselves and to resist gender stereotypes. The importance of this right is demonstrated in the following statistics:

-60% of girls say that they experience stereotypes that limit their right to be themselves.

- An international study found that the stereotypes most associated with women were “feminine,” “affectionate,” “emotional,” “superstitious,” “attractive,” “sensitive,” and “sexy.”  The stereotypes most associated with men were “masculine,” “adventurous,” “forceful,” “strong,” “tough,” and “coarse.”  In every country surveyed, the female stereotype was weaker and less active than the male stereotype.

Through Girls, Inc’s programs of Project Bold, Media Literacy, and Economic Literacy we fight this stereotyping, girls feeling of being boxed in by those stereotypes, and encourage girls to be themselves. To conclude here is a fantastic video wonderful  little girl sharing her thoughts on gender stereotypes.

(Photo credit from Stereotypes and Short Stories; statistics from Harris Interactive Inc. and Pancultural gender stereotypes revisited: The five factor model.)