A survey found that a majority of young girls don’t choose who they admire based on their appearance, despite societal pressure that tells them they should.
Researchers concluded in the past that people judge how “human” they think a woman is based on how attractive she is, while the measure for men is usually intelligence. Young girls are constantly being told that their worth is dependent on how they look and that they should judge others the same way. Thankfully, it looks like they’re rejecting this false notion.
Young girls are actually more likely to base their admiration on a person’s abilities.
Girl Scouts of the USA surveyed members between 5 and 13 and found that 85% of the girls “admired people for what they can do, not how they look,” according to a report from Good Good Good.
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It can be difficult for adults to maintain this perspective at times, so Sarah Keating, the Vice President of Girl and Volunteer Experience for Girl Scouts, said these youngsters are setting a good example. “Girls are reminding us that what lasts — and what earns real admiration — is character in action: how you show up, what you try, how you treat people, and the difference you make,” she said.
Keating added that adults have a responsibility to show girls that they really do believe this is true. She continued, “When adults model self-compassion and put the focus on effort, learning, and contribution (instead of appearance), we give girls permission to do the same — and we all end up feeling more confident and free.”
Many young girls are learning to place less priority on looks based on what they’re learning in Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts reported that it has about 10 million members worldwide who earn a cumulative 4 million badges annually. To ensure girls are making the most of their time in the organization, they have introduced some new badges to underscore how important it is to celebrate your appearance, no matter what.
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Keating explained that they have added Body Appreciation badges to their repertoire, as well as Mental Wellness patches, “to help girls build healthy coping skills and a positive relationship with their bodies.”
“Through guided activities and discussions, girls practice ways to manage stress, strengthen self-confidence, and push back on unrealistic messages about appearance — skills that support them well beyond their Girl Scout years,” she noted.
Girls need to be taught how inconsequential looks are, which requires a major societal shift.
The National Organization for Women reported that 53% of American girls said they were “unhappy with their bodies” at just 13-years-old. As many as 40% to 60% of girls in elementary school are already worried about their weight. Body positivity lessons may seem unimportant to some, but the Girl Scouts are really helping their members with these new programs.
We don’t often think about teaching kids about self-love. It’s easy to think that it’s something they’re just born with and then unlearn over time. But these statistics show how vital it is to boost everyone’s self-esteem, no matter how young they are.
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Pediatric psychologists at Children’s Health argued that adults must work to “build resilience” in kids. Rates of mental health issues are increasing among young people, and girls are known to be particularly vulnerable. It’s time to dispel the idea that people are only as valuable as they are attractive.
So, if a young girl looks up to you, you can trust that she doesn’t just think you look nice. Instead, she sees you as strong and capable, which is far more important than appearance. Why seek to be attractive when your beauty could come from being smart, funny, and confident?
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
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