The perfect body for me is my body
When I think back to my adolescent years, I mostly remember myself in relation to how I perceived others, how I thought others perceived me, and who I thought I “should” be. Self doubt and anxiety were pervasive, and I still consider those years some of the most challenging times of my life. At the time, I did not have access to resources to address or even name what I now understand to be common mental health struggles.
Fast forward 25 years, and the adolescent experience has only gotten more challenging. The societal pressures of comparison and messaging of who you “should” be are louder than ever – especially for adolescent girls and non-binary youth.
Add to that the weight of major domestic and global crises like climate change, war, opioid addiction and violence toward women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups, and it’s not surprising that many adolescent youth are struggling. A 2023 CDC study found that 57% of female students felt persistent feelings of sadness, compared to 29% of male students. The data suggests even higher rates of poor mental health for LGBTQ youth, with 69% reporting persistent feelings of sadness.
Now, more than ever, adolescent youth deserve and need access to spaces that support them in cultivating tools to navigate these challenging and formative years, and our Girls Lead for Life program does just that. This climbing based program offers adolescent girls and non-binary youth the opportunity to learn a wide range of skills that support their mental health and wellbeing. It covers leadership, self advocacy, community building, body positivity, and emotional regulation – all in a supportive and welcoming environment.
Women’s Wilderness has decades of experience in offering gender informed programming that uses climbing as a tool to improve wellbeing, and reflections from our 2024 Spring Girls Lead For Life participants make it clear that we are onto something. We are seeing firsthand that participants are discovering self-acceptance, prioritizing health over appearance, effectively managing emotions, and advocating for themselves.
I’ve come a long way since my adolescent days, thanks to many years of support in adulthood from professionals and community in cultivating habits and tools to help me move gently through periods of self doubt, comparison and anxiety.
I know that having access to this program as a young girl would have made a difference for me, and I am grateful that I get to witness the way it is making a difference for others. All adolescent youth deserve access to spaces that support them in building resilience, confidence, and the ability to know and appreciate themselves fully.
You can help ensure that more girls and non-binary youth have access to Girls Lead for Life by donating today. We have a goal of raising $10,000 by the end of May, and each donation is bringing us closer to supporting more young girls and non-binary youth in building confidence and resilience.
You Give. Girls Lead.
Development Director
