girls are the future!

Girls grow up in a society where school walls are etched with tales of eating disorders and depression. They indulge in their low self-esteem because that’s what they think they should do. They pick apart their bodies. They are taught to attract boys with makeup and perfumes. They steal their older sister’s copies of Cosmo to learn how “women” should act. They watch T.V. shows that have plots based on who’s sleeping with whom (as if this is the highlight of every woman’s life!). I feel girl studies have been created to counter this. I think girl studies is re-creating society so girls can grow up in an environment where they can thrive; where there is endless support, real-life positive role models, where people of all races and body types are represented equally, where the media doesn’t play into and feed off their insecurities. I think girl studies should prevent “the mass movement of adolescent girl’s authentic voices “underground” into protected spaces (such as a private journal).” Girls should be able to talk freely about their opinions and thoughts to other girls (since they might be having some of the same feelings) without the fear of being isolated for not being “normal.” I define girl studies as a collaborate effort to “change our culture.” I think All About The Girl said it all when they stated girls environments should be “less complicated and more nurturing, less violent and sexualized and more growth producing.”
I hope to learn effective ways to start the change in our culture that is needed for girls to grow up into women at peace with themselves. I also hope that I really get to impact some little girl’s life through our service learning project. I expect this class to show me my why growing up as a girl was so turbulent, and I hope to find ways for the next generation to have it easier.