Today’s guest post comes from Deborah Hearn Smith, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana and a regular collaborator with us for empowering programs for girls, including the Spirit & Place Festival program “Body Image and Your Girl” on Nov. 6. Reap her wisdom below and leave a comment with your responses.
It’s the 21st century. How much longer will this take?
By Deborah Hearn Smith, CEO, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana
“As I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, we were fighting for change. In my lifetime, I have witnessed improvements in racial stereotypes, and have seen women break through the glass ceiling. What I’m appalled by is our lack of improvement in the issue of objectification of women and girls.
We are more than our bodies. Our bodies are the shells that carry our brains, our hopes and dreams, our passions and fears.
Like many women, it took me until my 40s to feel completely comfortable in my own skin. I think by then your priorities shift and you figure out that your looks are pretty far down your list of worries. But our girls deserve better; shouldn’t they feel just as good in their teenage skin as they do in their 40s?”
Read the rest of Deborah’s post or RSVP for the adult session of the Spirit & Place Festival program “Body Image and Your Girl.”