‘Young women and girls are increasingly feeling that they have to change their appearance to “fit in” or to avoid ridicule, whether this be through cosmetic surgery or dieting. This makes me feel upset and disappointed, and extremely worried about the wellbeing of young girls in years to come.
I have felt pressured to change myself because of the standards that have been set on social media and our research just proves that I am not alone. It is clear that girls worries about their body image should be taken more seriously, and more should be done to relieve the pressure on girls to be perfect.’
— Erin, 16, Aberdeen, Girlguiding Advocate
What we do with and for girls
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In 2024
81%
In 2018
62%
of girls and young women aged 11-21 said boys think girls should look like images they see online, this has increased to
This year's Girls' Attitudes Survey shows the pressures of being a girl are felt more intensely today than they were 10 years ago. These pressures are also being felt at a younger age than ever before.
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Supporting
through the
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Boosting confidence
Preventing
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Space away
from appearance pressures
Girlguiding is here to build confidence
Girlguiding girls are up to 23% more confident on average than girls in the UK