I was very happy to be able to talk about my independent research project researching the legislative process to get a proclamation in Maryland for Day of the Girl.  We also talked about each school’s effort in spreading awareness about Day of the Girl and thanked them for their support of SGU. After we were done and walking to leave the crowded room everyone was saying how good we were and complimenting us.

Here’s the update we gave:

We are here today to give an update of our School Girls Unite efforts and Day of the Girl. First, we would like to thank you for your continued support of School Girls Unite and for your endorsement of the first Day of the Girl in Howard County Public Schools on September 22, 2011.

On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, establishing a day in recognition of girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. According to Wendy Lesko of the Youth Activism Project, SGU students in Howard County were instrumental in this effort by sending emails to US Ambassador, Susan Rice, asking her to vote for the resolution.

Our efforts now are to support School Girls Unite in long-term goals for Day of the Girl.  One goal is having local proclamations in 3,143 counties and each of the 50 states, as well as a Presidential Proclamation that would mirror the recent UN resolution.

Oakland Mills Middle SGUers are developing materials to encourage students in other Maryland counties to seek local proclamations for the first International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.  They are also leading a Middle School Book Club discussion in April on A Long Walk to Water, a novel about the challenges faced by a young girl from Sudan.  We would welcome you to attend this discussion at Barnes and Noble.

Harper’s Choice SGUers are working on several projects. I am very excited to be working with the office of Delegate Liz Bobo to seek a state proclamation for the first International Day of the Girl. Another project is researching local and state issues relating to girls, such as underrepresentation in STEM fields.

Girls at Hammond Middle School are creating a video game show to raise awareness about the extreme challenges girls face globally including lack of education, child marriage, limited work opportunities and other gender-based injustices. One of the Hammond students has a very moving video account of why she got involved in School Girls Unite on the School Girls Unite website.

The number of Howard County students involved in School Girls Unite is growing!   We’re hoping to have another Summit this spring for all students involved from the three schools as well as students interested from other schools.

Last, thank you for supporting independent research projects, like School Girls Unite.  As we work with our middle school G/T Resource Teachers, we are applying research to solve a real-world problem.

We are learning how to collaborate with other students and adults. Most importantly, we’ve experienced the power of working together on important issues in our world and making a difference. Thank you.

 

—Ally M.

Soon after the birth, a rumor surfaced that Jay-Z had vowed to stop using “the B word” now that he has a daughter. Those rumors included this poem:

Before I got in the game, made a change, and got rich

I didn’t think hard about using the word bitch

I rapped, I flipped it, I sold it, I lived it

Now with my daughter in this world I curse those that give it

I don’t know what’s more frustrating, that this rumor caught so much steam because it seemed revolutionary for a hip hop mega mogul to remove that word from his vocabulary, or the idea that he’d only do so now that he has helped create a woman. As though being born to a woman and marrying a woman didn’t create a strong enough emotional attachment with either woman to forego the word, and only now that there’s a woman with his DNA is there sufficient reason to give it up.

No matter, because he never said it. Not his fault, these kinds of rumors swirl around all celebrities. Besides, how *could* he refrain from using the word? Reporters at TIME combed through lyrics to Jay-Z’s 15 studio albums (both solo and collaborative) and found that 109 out of 217 songs contain the word “Bitch.” That’s 50.2% of Jay-Z’s entire lyrical output. How could a man do a greatest hits record without his greatest hit word?

Anyways, I did some reading on the matter. Now, when I was a kid, I had pink Legos, so I’ve been thinking, “What are you talking about, Legos are for anyone!” But then I read this:

“Today, girls and boys play equally with Duplo, Lego’s bigger bricks for toddlers. But starting at the princess phase, Lego’s smaller, more intricate kits skew “boy.””

And then I realized that the Legos I had as a kid must have been these Legos, the big fat ones for toddlers. And that once the ‘princess stage’ started, around the time that girls begin obsessing about Cinderella and Prince Charming, the Legos turned into reds and yellows, and I had to go to my next door neighbors (who were boys) in order to play with them. And. And even those big ones, meant for all children, the ones I had were pink. Pink! Because I was a girl! I was tricked! Thinking I had some egalitarian toy for which gender played no role, yet they were pink! The only colors I remember having are pink, white, and gray. Hmmm.

—-

You know, as I’m thinking about these, at one time in my little childhood, I wanted to grow up to be an engineer. And build bridges. Cause bridges are awesome– in the old sense of the word, with awe and everything. I wanted to build strong things that tricked gravity, and stood even under immense pressure. I’m guessing it was because of Legos and Lincoln Logs and science projects during elementary school.

—-

So is it great that Legos is now marketing to girls? “Oh yay, now my daughter can play with Legos and see that being an engineer could be awesome!” Well, in my honest opinion, from seeing a few pictures of these “Lego Friends,” which are supposed to be for girls, I feel like Lego is just Barbie-fying Legos. Do we really need another Barbie to help girls envision pretty hair and pink skirts? Personally, I think that segment of attention is covered. Can’t we just get some simple blocks, and let children play? Forget  genderized play sets. Let’s just get some rainbow blocks, and build a spaceship.

A spaceship flown by unicorns, of course.

PS: I recommend this great opinion piece by Peggy Orenstein, who aptly notes “At issue, then, is not nature or nurture but how nurture becomes nature: the environment in which children play and grow can encourage a range of aptitudes or foreclose them.”

What are you interested in doing? That’s what we want you to do for us! As part of our mission to empower girls to create their own outcomes, we’re committed to giving you the opportunity to shine by doing what you do best.

CREATE YOUR OWN INTERNSHIP

• Super artsy girl, you can create posters, t-shirt designs, and other groovy images that help us promote the Day of the Girl
• English majors, use those writing skills to write for our blog, help manage our social media, or create issue papers.
• Political science majors, one of the keys to advancing rights for girls is legislative activity and outreach, so get ready to network with elected officials and their staff
• Education majors, we need your curriculum-creating skills to develop toolkits and lesson plans that reach students of all ages
• Music majors. Um, we don’t have a theme song yet!

If you’re not quite sure which areas you’d like to work in, we can help you explore many disciplines with an internship that lasts a week, a month, or a year!

Yes, we offer virtual internships. No matter where you are in the world, you can still help Day of the Girl!

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to commit to whatever schedule we develop for your internship–there is no required number of hours, but you must be willing to meet all work plans and deadlines once set
• Great communication skills, both written and oral
• Interest in girls’ rights and issues that affect girls across the world
• Access to computer and Internet connection

SCHOOL CREDIT

Students interested in receiving school credit for their internship with Day of the Girl should check their institution’s work and other academic requirements. Day of the Girl is prepared to oversee internships for credit on behalf of students who complete all requirements. Internship officers may contact Day of the Girl to discuss and structure internships. Call 202-596-9393 or email girls@dayofthegirl.org.

GET STARTED NOW!

What are you waiting for? Complete the form below to get started.

Whether 2011 was a banner year for you or one you’re happy to bid farewell to, today can be the day that you decide what 2012 will hold. Our advice? Say YES.

Too often, young people (and older people) let fear, uncertainty, doubt, and social pressure stop them from doing, saying, creating, and standing up for things that matter. Guess what? Girls matter, and girls need to start saying YES:

→ Say YES when someone asks if you’ve got something on your mind. Tell them what you’re thinking about–global warming or leg warmers–and get used to voicing your opinions.

→ Say YES to things that scare you. Try out for the volleyball team, run for class president, tell your parents how you really feel about being called Fluffy! Being scared is part of being alive, and when you make a habit of facing your fears you become someone with fewer things to fear.

→ Say YES to someone who says NO. Don’t give up so easily, and don’t let NO become a brick wall. Find a new angle, come up with a compromise, bring more evidence to support your position.

→ Say YES to other girls. The Mean Girls stereotype hurts every girl, even the mean ones! Despite with marketing execs and teen magazines tell you, other girls are not your competition, they are your compatriots!

→ Say YES to yourself. Yes, you can learn yoga, or Italian, or how to go to lunch all by yourself. Yes, your feelings do matter and are not stupid. Yes, you are a unique and special snowflake and everything about you is okay, no matter what outside forces try to tell you.

→ Say YES to the Day of the Girl. Get involved, become a leader, share the girl power with those around you. Put your action where your passion is and join the movement.*

*Will you say YES to supporting Day of the Girl with a tax-deductible gift? We want t say YES to girls everywhere in 2012, but we need your help!

Tell us in the comments about your New Year’s resolutions, and what you’ll say YES to in 2012!

Ten years from now

Ten months from now, we predict this movement will be born. October 11, 2012 will be the first International Day of the Girl.

Ten months ago, a group of School Girls Unite high school and college students in the DC area decided to mobilize support in America for a campaign initiated by Canadian girls. The goal: establish a United Nations International Day of the Girl.

Five months ago, these young architects were already building a movement. One high school club produced videos introducing why a Day for girls is so needed. More than 50 girls weighed in on the logo and design for a website to promote the campaign. Hours were devoted to strengthening every sentence in a letter to the White House. Middle school girls held a summit with the County Council Chair to begin the process of getting a local Day of the Girl proclamation. Requests asking organizations to support the Day resulted in 75 endorsements. “Child Marriage: Tragic Tradition,” written by one of our college age leaders, became the model for nine more action-oriented girls’ issues posted on the website.

Our campaign really got traction when four School Girls leaders were back here at the end of another year of college. Their commitment dates back to when they were seventh graders and became relentless advocates for girls in Africa to go to school. These founding members became paid interns and took the reins of the campaign. They interviewed and helped choose our talented social media coordinator. They strategized and coached the younger School Girls, presented workshops at schools, explored collaboration with numerous nonprofits, and led a critical conference call with the White House.

During the summer, the round-the-clock commitment of these hardworking interns made all the difference in gaining momentum. Their strategic sense and innovative thinking were irreplaceable. When we describe this as a youth-driven campaign, girls have to be in the driver’s seat. Adults, including myself, try to stay in the backseat and limit their time behind the steering wheel. Our feisty and agile nonprofit, with this engine of interns and passionate younger School Girls Unite members, accomplished extraordinary results in a matter of months. We are proud to have been able to support the intense work of other non-governmental organizations, especially those in Canada that initiated this effort.

Now it is time to celebrate! On December 19, the United Nations General Assembly, with the support of the U.S., gave final approval to establish the International Day of the Girl Child. School Girls Unite and other girl-led organizations from New Moon Girls to Girls For A Change are already focusing on October 11, 2012–the historic first girls’ rights celebration. In the words of Shayna G., 17: “This Day can propel the movement to revive the push for equality.”

Join the movement – sign up for our mailing list!

This fall, an analysis by the Directors Guild of America found that white women directed just 11 percent of television episodes in the 2010-2011 television season, and women of color directed just 1 percent of episodes. Non-white men directed 11 percent of episodes of television shows.

The numbers are a little better for writers (and in television, writers normally have more influence over the overall content of an episode than directors). According to the Writers Guild of America, West, in 2009, 28 percent of television writers were women, a number that’s stayed the same since 2006. But even as the number of women who are writing for television has stayed the same, the pay gap between women and men who write for television has increased. In 2007, the median salary for a woman television writer was $5,109 less than the median man’s salary. By 2009, that gap was up to $9,400.

The question, therefore, isn’t just whether the depictions of women on television are sexist or feminist. It’s whether this increase in shows portraying women actually help more women get writing and directing jobs in the notoriously male-dominated television industry. (emphasis mine)

Of course I agree with Rosenberg’s look beyond the products to the producers, but I think there’s a key element in that production line missing. If we suggest that increasing the number of women ON television might increase the number of women BEHIND television, thereby effecting a change in how sexist or feminist television shows might be, we excuse men from the process entirely, except as Upholders of the Status Quo. Set aside the question about women behind the scenes and focus on the men behind the scenes, who are definitely still in power in the media and it’s that power structure that should be held accountable for the current portrayal of women on TV.

Men can be feminists, too! They should be, and they should translate that from being happy to have a wife who works to being adamant that their creative work product not amplify stereotypes that hurt women and girls. The question is: where are the male voices of power saying that sexist television is not entertainment? Yes, when women gain power they gain responsibility for systemic change, but those currently running the system are also responsible. Right now, perhaps the best woman for the job is a man.

Do you think there are good examples of men who write, direct, and produce strong female characters?

Nobel-prize winner Wangari Maathai has died. She was the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which has planted an estimated 45 million trees around Kenya since 1977. Today’s message on their site:

It is with great sadness that the family of Professor Wangari Maathai announces her passing away on 25th September, 2011, at the Nairobi Hospital, after a prolonged and bravely borne struggle with cancer. Her loved ones were with her at the time.

Professor Maathai’s departure is untimely and a very great loss to all who knew her – as a mother, relative, co-worker, colleague, role model, and heroine; or who admired her determination to make the world a more peaceful, healthier, and better place.

This is my favorite part of the BBC story on her death:

Opposing a major government-backed development in Nairobi, she was labelled a “crazy woman”; it was suggested that she should behave like a good African woman and do as she was told.

Her former husband made similar comments when suing for divorce: she was strong-willed, and could not be controlled.

It is my fervent wish that when I die, someone takes care to comment that I could not be controlled. I think it’s the mark of a revolutionary woman.

[A]nother kind of crisis is robbing countless living world citizens of their stories, day after day, hour after hour: poverty. This, after all, is a story-destroying calamity — slower burning, to be sure, but equally ravaging to those with important tales that need to be told and heard. Gender discrimination compounds the muting: where poor people go nearly unheard, poor women and girls have little chance of sharing their stories, or simply of being acknowledged. While this is true of many victims of terrorism, conflict and inequality, it is punishingly true for women and girls.

I wanted to support Blaustein and give a shout out to what we’re doing right here at Day of the Girl to address those same issues, so I posted this:

Day of the Girl (www.DayOfT­heGirl.Org) is bringing together organizati­ons that support women and girls to achieve something great: empowering girls to exceed their own expectatio­ns. September 22 is a kickoff for a year-long campaign that every single girl and woman and man and boy should support – when girls win, we all win!

Well. You would think I had posted a recipe for stir fry kitten and a side of kick-your-grandma, with comments like this:

Where is the advocacy for young boys? Aren’t they poor too? Don’t they suffer from disease, poverty, malnutriti­on, and lack of education? Since when were boys lives so great that we could afford to ignore them?

The feminist propaganda machine needs to stop. Advocating for humans is sufficient and the divisive single gender approach needs to stop. It’s a back lash waiting to happen because eventually the imbalance in the approach must be corrected.

Now what?

How do we continue to build the Day of the girl movement? What outreach is needed, what education initiatives should we connect? Tell us how you think we should keep the movement going and growing, so we can continue to make girls’ worlds bigger and better.