re-defining gender expectations through girls’ coalition groups national conference on girls’...
TRANSCRIPT
Re-Defining Gender Expectations Through Girls’ Coalition Groups
National Conference on Girls’ EducationApril 11, 2012
Emily Brostek, MPH, CHESTraining Institute Manager
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About Hardy Girls Healthy Women
Envisioning a world where girls experience independence, safety and equality in their everyday lives
• Programs for girls• Training and resources
for adults who work with girls
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Overview
• Challenges facing girls today• Cultural landscape of girls• The solution: Girls’ Coalition Groups
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What Challenges Do Girls Face Today?
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Challenges of Adolescence
• Psychological struggles – Drop in self confidence & self-esteem– Struggles with body image & disordered eating– Increase in depression, suicidal thoughts, self-
cutting behavior• Behavioral issues – Fighting– Drugs– Early sexual activities
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Why Is This Happening?
Girls aren’t the problem – they’re the solution!
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Media Use and Kids
• 8-18 year olds spend 7.5 hours/day using entertainment media– Can pack 10 hours and 45 min of content into
those 7.5 hours with ‘media multitasking’• 11-14 year olds get close to 12 hours/day of
entertainment media
Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds. Kaiser Family Foundation. 2009.
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What Messages Are They Hearing?
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The Cultural Landscape of GirlsGirl as Consumer Citizen
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Marketer’s Schemes
“If you don’t target the consumer in her formative years, you’re not going to be relevant through the rest of her life.” –Proctor & Gamble
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The New Girl Power
The power to…– Make yourself over– Shop– Be hot– Fight– Choose among different TYPES of girls to be
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The Power To Shop
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The Power of Makeovers
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And the Makeovers Start Early…
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The New Dora
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One Way to Grow Up
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The Power To Fight
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Girl Fighting (not girl helping)
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Girlfighting Can Sell Anything
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The Real Impact of Girlfighting in the Media
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The Power to Party
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The Power To Be Sexy
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Eroding the Boundaries
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American Psychological Association Report on the Sexualization of Girls
What is sexualization?• A persons’ value comes only from
his or her sexual appeal
• Physical attractiveness=sexiness
• A person is sexually objectified
• Sexuality is inappropriately imposed on someone (ie, children)
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Consequences of Sexualization
• Ability to concentrate and focus• Mental health problems (eating disorders,
low self-esteem, depression)• Unhealthy sexuality• Negative impact on own sexuality• Negative impact on others and society
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What Can We Do?
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Changing Our Perspective
• From individuals to relationships and community
• From deficits to strengths
• From surviving to thriving
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Cultivating Hardiness Zones
Hardiness is…• A way of talking about strength and resilience
• Moves beyond an individual girl’s problems, her “odds-defying” behavior, or her need for “one caring adult”
• Focuses on the social context – What kind of relationships and communities does she
need to grow and thrive?
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Starting with Girls’ Strengths
• Desire to be heard and taken seriously• Courage “to speak one’s mind with all one’s
heart”• Capacity to name and get angry at injustice
and hurt• Desire for real connections• Potential to work and have fun together
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The Solution: Girls Coalition Groups
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Creating Coalitions
• Coalition – a group of people who share a value system and a purpose– Allies (not necessarily friends)
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Being a Muse
• Source of inspiration• Recognize and draw out girls’ genius• Focus on inner resources• Relational model –both possess vulnerabilities
and strengths; both contribute to the relationship.Amy Sullivan, 1996.
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From Adversaries to Allies
A curriculum to help you…–Create an active coalition of
girls–Provide activities and
facilitation for group discussion–Give girls a foundation for
social change
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What Girls Are Saying
“I learned a lot…that being beautiful isn’tsomething out of a magazine. It isn’t a model orpeople on TV because those people aren’t real.They do all that stuff with the computer andbrush up things. Beauty isn’t something that’s alllooks either it’s something inside and it’s who youare and what you do.” -7th grader
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What Girls Are Saying
“I trust everybody in the group and I tell everybody everything now. Like if I have a problem against them I’ll tell them and they tell me and we always fix it and everything. It’s helped a lot.” - 8th grader
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Getting Started
• How many? – 6-12 girls in a group
• How often?– Meet for 45-60 minutes per week through school
year
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From Adversaries to Allies: Overview
• Unit 1: We’re In This Together• Unit 2: Researching Girl Culture• Unit 3: Media Madness• Unit 4: Girlfighting• Unit 5: Family
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From Adversaries to Allies: Overview
• Unit 6: Moving Beyond Cliques and Clubs• Unit 7: Sexual Harassment• Unit 8: From Object to Subject – Healthy
Dating Relationships• Unit 9: From Adversaries to Allies
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Activity Example: Becoming an Ally
“An ally is a member of a group or team who believes she can make a positive difference for other girls!”
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Activity Example: Real Life Barbie
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Expect Challenges!
• Balance between sticking to school’s rules AND standing with girls no matter what
• Stay professional• Create a safe space for girls’ voices• Come prepared for meaningful conversation
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Questions?
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Annual Summer Institute
Navigating Girlhood: A Summer InstituteWhen: June 13-15, 2012Where: Waterville, MaineDetails: Up to 18 hours of continuing education credits
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Upcoming Webinars
Challenging the BMI: Body Mass Index or Body Myth Insanity?With Margo Maine, PhD
When: February 29, 1-2:30 pm ESTCost: $29.95
Sparking Girls’ Activism and Social ChangeWith Lyn Mikel Brown, EdD
When: April 10, 3-4:30 pm ESTCost: $29.95
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Upcoming (Free) Webinars
Powered By Girl: How To Build a High School Media Activism Group
When: February 20, 4-5 pm ESTMarch 13, 4-5 pm ESTApril 24, 4-5 pm ESTCost: Free
Girls’ Schools as Hardiness Zones: Empowering Girls at SchoolWhen: April 25, 4:30-5:30 pm ESTCost: Free
Thank you for your participation!
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Questions? Comments?Contact Emily Brostek, Training Institute Manager