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GENDER GAP ENTERS A NEW MILLENNIUM

New Harris Poll Documents Girls' Desire to Break Down Stereotypes

New York, March 23, 2000--Girls are still constrained by outmoded gender stereotypes that reduce their quality of life and lower expectations for their futures, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, Inc. (formerly Louis Harris and Associates) for Girls Incorporated. At the same time, girls report strong confidence in their abilities and their future prospects.

"Girls are getting the message that they can do anything boys can, but they feel frustrated by obsolete stereotypes that hold them back from reaching their goals," says Isabel Carter Stewart, National Executive Director of Girls Inc. While 47% of girls said that girls and boys have the same abilities and strengths, only 29% of boys agreed with that statement.

Among the findings:

• 52% of girls said that people think girls are only interested in love and romance.
• 59% of girls said that girls are told not to brag about things they do well.
• 65% of girls said that girls are expected to spend a lot of their time on housework and taking care of younger children.
• 62% of girls said that, in school, boys think they have a right to discuss girls' bodies in public.

Through a nationally representative survey, Harris Interactive and Girls Inc. asked more than 1,000 girls in grades 3 to 12 whether they believed they had access to the rights defined in the Girls Inc. Girls' Bill of Rights. A surprisingly high proportion of girls said they face barriers to achieving those rights. Overall, girls are more than twice as likely as boys to say that they are highly dissatisfied with the barriers to girls' rights (47% vs. 23%). Older girls are more likely than younger girls to say this (53% of high school girls vs. 40% of elementary school girls).

• 60% of girls said they experience stereotypes that limit their right to be themselves and resist gender stereotypes.
• 62% of girls said they experience stereotypes that limit their right to accept and appreciate their bodies.
• 52% of girls said they experience stereotypes that limit their right to express themselves with originality and enthusiasm.
• Half of girls (50%) said they experience stereotypes that limit their right to take risks, strive freely, and take pride in success.
• Over half of girls (54%) said they experience stereotypes that limit their right to have confidence in themselves and to be safe in the world.
• 36% of girls say they experience stereotypes that limit their right to prepare for interesting work and economic independence.

The Girls Inc. survey also found that gender stereotyping affects girls' quality of life and plans for the future. Girls with the highest scores on a "quality of life" index are more likely than girls with low scores to feel that girls have the same abilities and strengths as boys (50% vs. 42%). Girls who believe that girls and boys have the same abilities and opportunities are more likely to plan to go to college than girls who believe that they are very different from boys (82% vs. 68%). Girls with a high quality of life are less likely than girls with a low quality of life to believe that girls and boys are very different in all aspects of their lives (59% vs. 71%).

"Girls know that asserting their rights translates into concrete improvements in their day-to-day lives. They are ready to lead the way," says Dr. Heather Johnston Nicholson, Director of Research for Girls Inc. Gender stereotyping influences the way boys see girls, as well as the way girls see themselves. Almost a third of all students believe that it is difficult for a girl to become the kind of person she wants to be when she grows up. Boys are slightly more likely than girls to hold this belief.

Adults, who were also surveyed, sympathize with the challenges facing girls today. Nearly two-thirds of adults (63%) believe that life today is more difficult for girls than when they were young. Women are more likely than men to hold this view (70% vs. 56%). Women also are more likely to recognize the harmful effects of stereotypes.

The survey also documented the enormous benefit girls get from relationships with adults. While nine out of ten girls said they know three adults they could go to if they had a problem, girls with a low quality of life are ten times as likely to say they do not have an adult support system as girls with a high quality of life (20% vs. 2%).

"We can't underestimate the importance of adults in girls' lives. The data show that adults contribute to girls' satisfaction with their lives today. We need to explore how we can help them open doors to their futures by breaking down the stereotypes that hold girls back," says Dr. Johnston Nicholson.

The Harris survey was conducted between October 4 and December 16, 1999. An in-class questionnaire was distributed to 2,028 girls and boys in grades 3 to 12. Telephone interviews were conducted with 1,019 adults.

Girls Inc. is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. For more than 50 years, Girls Inc. has provided vital educational programs to millions of American girls, particularly those in high-risk, underserved areas. Today, innovative programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent, fulfilling lives. For additional information, contact Alexander Kopelman at Girls Inc., (212) 509-2000 ext. 2273.