Today is Day of the Girl, the kick-off of a year-long celebration of girls and the recognition of a movement to make girls’ worlds bigger and better. To recognize the day, we’re taking a look at the barriers to success faced by girls in the Washington metro area, and we’re listening to what they have to say about their lives.
The following infographic highlights some of the statistics found in The Women’s Foundation report 2010 Portrait of Women & Girls in the Washington Metropolitan Area.
What the Girls Say
Girls in our community face many challenges, but at a recent community listening session, we learned that they are fierce, upbeat and have big plans for the future. We sat down with a group of young women in Montgomery County who shared the following with us:
- If they could be animals, the girls would choose to be: a lion, a dog, a dolphin and a cat. Why? Because those animals are mysterious, fierce, free, protective, loving, shy and sleep all day.
- Most of the girls were aware of money frustrations their parents have. They talked about the importance of saving, not getting into debt and paying their bills.
- There are more important things than money, they said, like: family & friends, love, health, yourself, pets and education.
- They defined success as: achieving goals, finishing school, being independent, not worrying about money, accomplishing things you dream of, and winning the lottery.
- Issues that teen girls face right now include: jobs, sexual health and money.
Click here for more details about the Day of the Girl initiative. Plus, let us know what you think about this information. Are these the barriers to success that you see for girls in your own neighborhood? What are girls in our community most hopeful about? What do they like most about school? What do they want to do in the future? Tell us in the comments below!