Our Stories

So,"why just girls?"

Working for Girls Incorporated of Alameda County, I’ve grown accustomed to questions about our mission and our work. While most people are supportive, I do occasionally get asked, “Why just girls? Especially in the communities you serve, do you think that girls need help more than boys?” My answer always is “No, girls don’t need more. They need different support.”

That answer is usually met with quizzical looks and disbelief because “haven’t we come so far?” The recent Shriver Report highlights that women are now fifty percent of the workforce and are more likely to be the primary breadwinner than in the past. Women are in many leadership positions, including Secretary of State, Speaker of the House, and four out of eight Ivy League presidents are women.

That is real progress.

However, the Shriver Report also shows that women, and society, still have a long way to go. Women still earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. In 1983, we earned 64 cents. According to the American Bar Association, only 18.3 of law firm partners are women, while we are half of the associates. Only 15 women run Fortune 500 companies.

While the measurable statistics show that our progress has been stalled, more shocking is the lack of change in attitudes about women. In a recent New York Times Op-Ed, Joanne Lipman, notes some recent examples of how the perception of women in the media and in online dialogue has “…degenerated from silly and snarky to just plain ugly.” Pointing out the commentary of Hillary Clinton’s “cankles” during the 2008 campaign and several non-positive comments about women’s looks by pundits including Glenn Beck and Keith Olberman, Lipman describes a culture where women are narrowly defined by appearances and simplistic attitudes like “good girl.” She asserts that our progress in the workforce is twarted by these popular perceptions.

At Girls Inc., we provide programs to support girls on both sides of this equation. Through our academic enrichment programs, we help girls to create their own definitions of success and to identify the tools to succeed. At the same time, we help girls to find their own voice so that they can help frame the dialogue and change the tone of public perception.

So, “why just girls?” Because we’ve come so far, and we still have further to go.

Grace M. Boone

Special Events Manager