May Is National Teen Self-Esteem Month
Girl Scouts of Greater New York is proud to participate in National Teen Self-Esteem Month, established to emphasize the importance of self-esteem and self-image for teen girls.
Many teen girls have their lives shaped for the worse by low self-esteem and poor self-image. In our society, film, pop music, television, and social media all put girls under frequent pressure - including from their own peers - to conform to a certain narrow image. This can be highly harmful to their ability to learn and lead, putting them at increased risk of depression, eating disorders, drug abuse, suicidal thoughts, and abusive relationships. According to a 2008 survey, 70 percent of girls "believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members."
It doesn't have to be this way. Every day, Girl Scouts is changing girls' lives for the better by instilling in girls the courage, confidence, and character that empowers them to overcome these challenges. Every day, girls are triumphing over the negative, shallow, and sexist images of girls and women that pervade our culture in order to become future leaders.
National Teen Self-Esteem Month is an opportunity for girls to:
- help build self-esteem in others by developing a positive attitude and encouraging others to reject unrealistic and unhealthy images as ideals
- act with confidence to lead in their communities
- identify adults who can act as role models and self-esteem builders
- act as positive role models for younger girls
The research of Girl Scouts of the USA illustrates the power of high self-esteem and its importance to building future women leaders. According to the findings of the recent Change It Up! report, promoting leadership in girls is primarily a matter of nurturing their self-confidence and providing supportive environments for them to learn leadership skills. In fact, confidence in their own skills and competencies is the most important factor in driving girls to actively pursue leadership.