Mirror image: how looks get in the way for girls

“Girls are taught to view their bodies as unending projects to work on,” said the iconic Gloria Steinem, “whereas boys, from a young age, are taught to view their bodies as tools to master their environment.”

Let’s rewrite the script and encourage girls to not let worrying about their bodies and their looks get in their way!

According to a Plan International UK survey of over 1,000 UK teens and young women, 89% feel pressure to fit an “ideal” face and body type, 25% feel “ashamed or disgusted” by their body and 57% worry about their appearance in school or college every week (and 39% every day). Due to body-image concerns, 69% avoided at least one social, school or work activity in the past year – that equates to 2 million (2,030,706) young women aged 14 to 21. 

“Society needs a makeover,” reckons Plan International UK. “Body-image worries should not simply be a ‘normal’ part of growing up for girls.”

Sign the pledge here – and get the ball rolling to compliment girls and young women for who they are and what they do, not for how they look.

#ListenToGirls