Girls Inc.

Girls Inc., a national U.S. nonprofit girls’ organization, aims to encourage all girls to be “strong, smart, and bold.” It operates primarily in low-income neighborhoods by providing informal educational programs to its single-sex youth centers and to affiliate schools, churches, housing projects, and community centers. In 2005, Girls Inc. served approximately 800,000 girls, ages 5 to 18 years.

Girls Inc. traces its origins to the 1860s, when reformers opened girls’ centers in the northeast to offer home like social spaces for young women who were textile and factory workers. In 1945, 19 similar organizations came together to form the Girls Clubs of America, and in 1990, the organization became Girls Inc.

Until the 1970s, activities emphasized traditional female pursuits such as homemaking and developing charm. In response to the civil rights and women's movements, Girls Inc. redefined its mission toward girls’ empowerment, confirming its belief in the benefits of single-sex recreation and education for girls.

[Page 624]In addition to offering recreational activities, Girls Inc. lobbies on girls’ behalf and undertakes research to illuminate girls’ status and needs. Girls Inc.'s commitment to political advocacy is symbolized by its adoption of a Girls’ Bill of Rights, rather than the more traditional laws and pledges of many youth organizations. Girls Inc. insists that girls have the right to: “be themselves and to resist gender stereotypes… express themselves with originality and enthusiasm… take risks, to strive freely, and to take pride in success… accept and appreciate their bodies… have confidence in themselves and to be safe in the world… [and] prepare for interesting work and economic independence.” Its publications include national studies such as The Supergirl Dilemma, which argues that as girls’ opportunities in math, science, and athletics have expanded, pressures to look right and speak softly persist, creating high levels of stress among today's girls, and advice workbooks for girls like Girls Inc. Presents: You're Amazing! which helps girls identify their talents, deal with stress, and define beauty on their own terms.

Girls Inc.'s most popular program encourages girls in math and science to prepare them for future technology careers. Girls take apart machinery, experiment, and learn to take the risks necessary for achievement in these fields. A Time Warner Foundation grant in 2003 enabled Girls Inc. to revitalize its media literacy program and give girls access to media tools to create their own media images. Girls Inc.'s sex education program provides practical knowledge and builds communicative relationships between mothers and girls as a cornerstone to making wise sexual choices and postponing sexual intercourse. Still, its feminist spirit has brought controversy. In 2005, a fundraising partnership with Mattel's American Girl doll led several conservative groups to criticize the organizations’ support for girls of all sexual orientations and of reproductive rights.