The Misrepresentation of Girls in the Media

National Coalition of Girls’ Schools

June 27, 2012

Dallas, TX

Girl Scout Research Institute

Listens to what girls are saying

Studies the girl perspective on critical issues

Brings research findings to important adults in girls’ lives

Evaluates the Girl Scout Leadership Experience

Translates findings into program and policy recommendations

Establishes Girl Scouts of the USA as the leading expert on girls

The Girl Scout Research Institute:

Girl Scout Research Institute:A Decade of Findings

1. Who are girls today?

2. What are the most up-to-date Girl Scout Research Institute findings on the impact of all forms of media on girls?

Beauty Redefined Who’s That Girl? Image and Social Media Real to Me: Girls and Reality TV

3. How does media impact a girl’s: Sense of self Identity construction Relationships Eating and health behaviors Future aspirations

4. What is Girl Scouts doing to minimize the negative impact of media on girls?

5. How can adults model healthy media consumption?

Presentation Roadmap

Who are girls today?

1. Physical: body growth and sexual maturation

2. Cognitive: acquisition of critical-thinking skills and information about the world

3. Emotional: social and psychological development and an understanding about family, peers, gender, identity, and self

Cognitive and physical development have accelerated, while emotional development has not, leaving 8- to 12-year-old girls with new stress and tension.

“It’s not where I am, it’s who I’m with.” —girl, 16

Safety: It’s Emotional

• The things that girls ages 8–17 worry the most about are being teased or made fun of, being gossiped about, and being called names.

• 46% of girls define safety as not having their feelings hurt.

• 34% of girls only feel “somewhat safe” emotionally.

• 68% of girls have had a negative experience on a social networking site—for instance, being gossiped about or being bullied.

What do girls care about? Emotional Health and Safety

Girls are concerned about being teased, bullied, threatened, or having feelings hurt while:

• Spending time with peers (38%)• Speaking or participating in class (38%)• Participating in groups (34%)• Trying new things (30%)

Girls who do not feel safe are more likely to:

• Have trouble paying attention in school• Have trouble making decisions• Often feel sad and unhappy• Often feel there is no one to talk to

“I have insecurities; when I feel insecure, I don’t feel safe.” —girl, 15

For girls, being healthy is about:

• Emotional and physical well-being

• Feeling good about oneself, being supported, and appearing “normal”

“Health is about your friendships with people and how social you are.” —teen girl

“I want to be someone who is just in the middle. These people look happy and normal and I want that experience.” —preteen girl

Health: It’s Holistic

Girls are more stressed than boys about absolutely everything.

What do girls worry about?

Percent Concerned 'a lot', by gender

61%

61%

49%

44%

41%

37%

29%

23%

21%

21%

19%

14%

13%

7%

50%

51%

32%

42%

35%

27%

16%

10%

17%

15%

12%

10%

6%

6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Getting along with your friends

Doing well in school

How you look

Getting along with your family

Getting into college

Fitting in

Being fat or overweight

Being thin

Getting enough exercise

Having a boyfriend or girlfriend

Eating a healthy diet

Feeling pressured to drink, smoke or use drugs

Feeling pressured to have sex

Being underweight

Boys

Girls

• Nine in ten girls say the fashion industry (89%) and/or the media (88%) place(s) a lot of pressure on teenage girls to be thin.

• 65% of girls think the body image represented by the fashion industry is too skinny; 63% think it is unrealistic; and 47% think it is unhealthy. More than a quarter (28%) say it looks sick.

• 59% of girls say that the fashion industry makes them feel fat.

What is the most up-to-date research on girls and media?

The Impact of “Traditional Media”

Girls attribute the pressure to be thin to media and the fashion industry.

• Three in four girls (75%) say that fashion is really important to them.

• 48% wish they were as skinny as the models in fashion magazines.

• 47% say fashion magazines give them a body image to strive for.

Girls’ Love/Hate Relationship with Fashion

Girls want fashion to project more “real” images

75%

say they would rather see “real” or natural photos of models than touched-up, air-brushed photos

say they would be more likely to buy clothes seen on real-size models than on super-skinny models

Versus

81%

• Girls are watching reality TV. Almost half of girls ages 11–17 watch it regularly.

• Girls who view reality TV regularly are more focused on the value of physical appearance.

• More reality TV viewers think that a girl’s value is based on how she looks and 72% say they spend a lot of time on physical

appearance, compared to 42% of non-viewers.

Reality TV

• Girls claim that reality TV often pits girls against one another.

• Girls who watch a lot of reality TV are more likely to:o Think girls often have to compete for a guy’s attentiono Say it’s hard for them to trust other girlso Think it’s in girls’ nature to be catty and competitive with one

anothero Be happier when they’re dating someone o Think that girls expect more out of romantic relationships than

do boys

Girls are highly susceptible to reality TV’s portrayal of relationships…

Girls who watch reality TV regularly are more likely to think:

• Sometimes you have to lie to get what you want• Being mean earns you more respect than being nice• You have to be mean to others to get what you want

…and how the world works in general

Behind the Scenes:Girls and Reality TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQdR-49z1oI

74% of girls agree that most girls their age use social networking sites (SNS) to make themselves look cooler than they are.

Girls represent themselves as more well-rounded in person than they do online.

Girls downplay several positive characteristics of themselves online, like their intelligence and efforts to be a good influence. Online they focus on things like being fun and funny.

Girls with low self-esteem are more likely to claim their online image is “sexy” or “crazy.” They are also more likely to admit their online images do not match their in-person selves.

Social Networking:Risks and Opportunities

Many girls admit that the positive image they

portray in person is NOT what comes across

on their social networking profiles

21%

19%

19%

15%

11%

11%

7%

6%

5%

5%

4%

4%

4%

3%

12%

10%

15%

9%

8%

5%

6%

6%

5%

15%

6%

7%

4%

4%

Daring

Risk-taker

Sexy

Rebellious

Social activist

Aggressive

Mean

Anti-social

Stupid

Boring

Arrogant

Snobby

Bad influence

Slutty

82%

82%

80%

76%

59%

55%

55%

51%

51%

48%

40%

32%

32%

27%

22%

43%

54%

52%

43%

29%

43%

41%

48%

43%

29%

16%

26%

19%

18%

26%

Smart

Fun

Funny

Kind

Good influence

Outgoing

Cool

Social

Confident

Crazy

Shy

Busy

Nerdy

Flirtatious

Popular

Image portrayed in person

Image portrayed via SNS

Many girls are concerned about the potentially negative consequences of their online behavior and content

% of teens who are at least somewhat concerned about…

Photos or info unknowingly ending up online

Someone hacking into their social network

Someone using photos/info undesirably

Someone causing them physical harm

Missed job opportunities

Getting in trouble with parents/teachers

Friends/family losing respect for them

Not getting accepted into choice college6464

6161

5757

4848

4242

4040

4040

3939

68% of girls have had a negative SNS experience

28%28%

21%21%

20%20%

13%13%

10%10%

Had someone post photos or personal info that they didn’t want posted

Had someone hack into their SNS without permission

Have been bullied over SNS

Lost a friend because of something posted via SNS

Felt concerned for their safety based on SNS posts

41%41%

36%36%

Had someone gossip about them via SNS

Felt ashamed, embarrassed, or emotionally hurt by something on an SNS

Opportunities: The upsides to social networking include better relationships and connections to causes girls care about

56% of girls agree that social networking sites help them feel closer and more connected to their friends.

52% have gotten involved in causes they care about through a social networking site.

44% have posted links, articles, or other information on a social networking site to raise funds for a cause or organization they care about.

41% have stood up for someone being threatened, harassed, or bullied on a social networking site.

How does all this impact girls? Cognitive and Emotional DevelopmentA focus on appearance and comparing one’s body to cultural ideals limits girls’ abilities to focus and concentrate on other things.

Mental and Physical HealthTrying to achieve cultural ideals can lead girls to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression.

Attitudes and BeliefsCultural ideals also impact how girls conceptualize femininity, sexuality, leadership and life aspirations, relationships, and identity. Gender stereotypes that place physical appearance at the center of a woman’s value can influence a girl’s sense of worth, achievement, and life goals.

Negative Ideals and Stereotypes Prevailing media images shape how boys and men see a woman’s value and worth, and instruct them on how to treat the girls and women in their lives.

Did you know…

• Half of girls (49%) are concerned “a lot” about how they look, and 29% are concerned “a lot” with being overweight?

• Almost half (46%) of girls report significant distress about their body size and shape?

• Only 34% of girls report being very satisfied with their weight?

• Perceptions of being overweight nearly double from the youngest (ages 8–10) to the oldest (ages 16–17) girls?

Sense of Self and Identity Construction• Social Currency: Based on what they portray in their social networking profiles, girls

have co-opted prevalent media messages to represent themselves: pretty, fun, and funny.

• Personal Brand: At a time that should be filled with self-exploration and identity formation, girls are choosing a very narrow way to describe and “brand” themselves to the external world.

• “Fame” Vs. “Shame”: At what point does the desire to be famous outweigh the desire for privacy and integrity?

• Perpetual Performance: Everything girls do now is recorded in real time and under immediate scrutiny, which can affect the kinds of risks they want to take and exaggerate the consequences of their actions.

Relationships• “Mean Girl” Phenomenon: Girls might model their own behavior after media that

insists on celebrating “mean girls.”

Eating and Health Behaviors Many girls go to extreme measures to stay thin

88 55 Gone on a diet to try to lose weight

63 31 Starved themselves or refused to eat

42 12 Forced themselves to throw up after eating

37 3 Been diagnosed with an eating disorder

32 10 Taken appetite suppressants or weight-loss pills

26 5 Smoked cigarettes to suppress their appetite

21 7 Taken a laxative to try to stay thin

20 2 Taken illegal drugs to lose weight

7 1 Had surgery for cosmetic/weight-loss purposes

% who know someone their age who has…

% who have personally…

• The greatest single barrier to leadership is low self-regard of skills and qualities.

• 39% of girls report having been put down or discouraged by peers and classmates when trying to lead.

• Girls highly idealize leadership qualities and skills, but only 21% of girls believe they currently have most of the qualities required to be a good leader.

• The “New SAT” (Social Acceptance Test): One-third of girls who are not interested in leadership mention fear of being laughed at, making people mad at them, coming across as bossy, or not being liked.

Life Aspirations Limited by the new “SAT”

What is Girl Scouts doing?

Consciousness Raising

Watch What You Watch: PSA campaign with The Creative CoalitionReality TV Event: High-profile panel with media and entertainment leadersCutting-Edge Research

Programs for Girls

Media Journeys. The Girl Scout Leadership Journey MEdia helps girls think critically about the media they consume. This Journey experience is designed for middle-school girls and encourages participants to take a closer look at all media (television, movies, songs, video games, etc.) and to remake what they see, putting their “real me” in media. For more information on Girl Scout programming, please visit www.girlscouts.org/program/journeys.

Recommended Changes for Industry

Healthy Media Commission for Positive Images of Women and Girls. A joint effort led by Girl Scouts with the National Telecommunications & Cable Association, the National Association of Broadcasters, and The Creative Coalition, with co-chairs Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis and former FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate. The Commission convenes industry leaders, subject matter experts, youth representatives, and the creative community to begin development on a blueprint on how to create a positive media environment for kids.

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to ShoreMedia Remake

Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, Inc.It’s Your Story—Tell It!

What can adults like you do? The mother-daughter connection: modeling healthy attitudes and behaviors

A mother’s weight, body image, and health habits are strong predictors of whether her daughter:

• Is overweight• Is satisfied with her body • Is physically active • Looks to her mother for advice on healthy living

Mothers are most frequently cited by daughters as role models and sources on healthy living.

Tips for Adults

• Model healthy media and social media consumption.

• Use suspect media content as a conversation starter with your children and/or other family members.

• Have highly specific conversation about safe social networking and media use.

• Help your children steer clear of gossiping/bullying in person and online.

• Encourage face-to-face time.

• Talk about the differences between the version of reality the media represents and actual real life.

• Encourage the girls in your life to look beyond the mirror.

• Model healthy relationships.

• Keep girls grounded.

Watch What You Watch PSA with The Creative Coalitionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn67gixQuMo

Changing Face of Fashion PSAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvWIk83x-Do&feature=endscreen&NR=1

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Join Us!

Girl Scouts of the USA is using the occasion of its 100th anniversary to declare 2012 the Year of the Girl and launch ToGetHerThere, the largest, boldest advocacy and fundraising cause campaign dedicated to girls’ leadership issues in the nation’s history. This multiyear effort will help break down societal barriers that hinder girls from leading and achieving success in everything from technology and science to business and industry. Our long-term goal is ambitious and urgent: to create balanced leadership in one generation.

For more information on Year of the Girl and ToGetHerThere, please visit http://girlscouts.org/yearofthegirl.

For more information on the Girl Scout Research Institute:www.girlscouts.org/researchhttp://girlscouts.org/yearofthegirl

Contact:gsresearch@girlscouts.org