Over 50 per cent of girls in Canada say they face unrealistic expectations about what it means to be a girl and that it negatively affects their self-esteem, according to a recent poll. The organization, Girl Guides of Canada commissioned the survey after hearing stories about gender inequality from girls as young as 11.
The survey involved more than 500 girls between the ages of 15 and 17 from diverse backgrounds and across Canada. While they reported pressure to conform, 56 per cent agreed that they got mixed messages about how they’re supposed to act, look and dress.
Girls reported experiencing gender inequality in sports, school and on socialmedia. (iStock)
Scared to speak up
“Another really concerning result of the report was that 30 per cent of girls said that they were scared or hesitant to speak up about gender inequality,” says Jill Zelmanovits, CEO of Girl Guides of Canada. “So, on the one hand they are identifying it as a problem. But on the other hand they’re scared to speak up about it.”
The survey identified three areas in which the girls said they experienced inequality. They were in school, in sports and on social media, “There were a lot of examples…of girls talking about how they are just treated differently on social media than boys are, that there are certain expectations of what types of pictures girls post, what types of connections, what links they make online that are just not there for boys,” says Zelmanovits.
She adds there is a disconnect between the gains made by the feminist movement and what young girls experience every day.
Language matters
“One of the things the report also found which is very positive is that 96 per cent of boys and girls in that teen category do support gender equality. But it’s a different thing to say you support gender equality than to make sure that in your language every day you’re not perpetuating those gender stereotypes.”
Zelmanovits says adults need to be aware of this, to be careful about the language they use and to listen to girls.
A need to build resilience
She adds that Girl Guides is important because it provides a safe “ place for girls to have these tough conversations about things like consent, and violence and gender equality. And hopefully, through that, they’re able to build the resilience skills so they can thrive despite these gender inequality messages that they’re receiving.”
- (photo: Girl Guides of Canada)
Jill Zelmanovits describes the findings of the Girl Guides of Canada survey on gender equality experienced by girls.
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