How to Teach Feminism to Young Girls
Let her develop her own relationship with femininity., Encourage decision-making from a young age., Explain why things are the way they are., Let her try things for herself., Normalize personal space and setting boundaries., Encourage her to be...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Let her develop her own relationship with femininity.
One of the easiest ways to teach her that there is no "wrong" way to be a girl is to let her choose her path for herself.
Let her embrace her own style, whether she's a girly girl, a nerd, a tomboy, or something else entirely.
Allow her to wander between blue and pink aisles when choosing toys and clothes.
Explain that the "boy" and "girl" signs are suggestions, not rules.
In some
- but not all
- cases, a child who rejects femininity may be transgender. -
Step 2: Encourage decision-making from a young age.
Support her agency and independence by letting her make age-appropriate choices.
See how you can work them into your routine.
When possible, let her choose things like...
What she'll wear Whether she'll play outside or inside What she'll eat (you can offer a few choices) , A feminist girl is an independent thinker, and it's important for her to be learning and growing.
Teach her things, from why there are clouds in the sky to why she has to sit in a booster seat in the car.
Encourage her to explore and ask questions.
Look for budding interests, and give her the opportunity to explore them further. , Stop the instinct to swoop in to the rescue if you see her having a hard time with something.
Instead, let her keep trying.
If you think she may need help, say "You can ask me if you need help." This lets her self-evaluate and decide whether she wants help from you. , Encourage consent with regards to hugs, kisses, tickles, and other types of touch.
If the girl says she doesn't want to be touched a certain way, respect that, and make sure other people do too.
Reward assertiveness with praise.
Say "nice job speaking your mind" or "thanks for letting me know that you don't like wet kisses.
Do you like kisses on your hair?" Encourage her to ask for things she wants.You can be a role model by setting your own boundaries.
For example, you can say "I'm tired right now and I don't want a hug" if you don't want to be hugged. , She can be a scientist, a teacher, a mathematician, a full-time mom...
Let her choose whatever she thinks is most interesting.Show her stories about women in the fields that she finds interesting (whether it's a hobby or something she's considering for a job).
Tell a girl who loves to paint about Frieda Kahlo, and teach a girl who loves computers about Grace Hopper.
This can help her imagine herself doing similar things. , Teach her the correct names for her body parts, to take any shame out of the equation.Avoid criticizing her body, such as calling her too fat, and don't criticize your own in front of her.
If she starts yelling about her butt in public, you can explain to her "We usually talk about these in private, because these are private parts, so other people don't need to know." Keep details age-appropriate.For example, your seven-year-old doesn't need to know how painful and gory childbirth can be. , It's okay to call her cute or pretty every once in a while—but don't make this the only nice thing you say about her.
Compliment her mind, her kindness, her assertiveness, and other positive traits unrelated to how she looks.
This helps her learn that she's a valuable person for who she is, not what she looks like.(Being cute is just a bonus.) , Feminism's goals include fairness and supporting each other, so it's important for her to know how to be kind and be a good listener.Talk about considering how other people feel and treating them well.
Teach her that the right kind of success is never achieved by hurting other people. , Don't judge people for having different lifestyles.
Instead, acknowledge that different things work for different people.
Be honest and open about differences in race, disability, religion, age, culture, and other things.
Be matter-of-fact and positive, such as "Yes, Jamal has dark skin.
Different people have different skin colors, and all kinds are beautiful" and "Audrey flaps her hands when she's happy, because she's autistic.
And you giggle and snort when you're happy." -
Step 3: Explain why things are the way they are.
-
Step 4: Let her try things for herself.
-
Step 5: Normalize personal space and setting boundaries.
-
Step 6: Encourage her to be imaginative and open when thinking about her future.
-
Step 7: Encourage her to be comfortable with her body.
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Step 8: Offer compliments about all of her.
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Step 9: Encourage her to be kind and mindful towards other people.
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Step 10: Teach her to value all kinds of people.Explain that everyone is different
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Step 11: and that's why the world is so interesting.
Detailed Guide
One of the easiest ways to teach her that there is no "wrong" way to be a girl is to let her choose her path for herself.
Let her embrace her own style, whether she's a girly girl, a nerd, a tomboy, or something else entirely.
Allow her to wander between blue and pink aisles when choosing toys and clothes.
Explain that the "boy" and "girl" signs are suggestions, not rules.
In some
- but not all
- cases, a child who rejects femininity may be transgender.
Support her agency and independence by letting her make age-appropriate choices.
See how you can work them into your routine.
When possible, let her choose things like...
What she'll wear Whether she'll play outside or inside What she'll eat (you can offer a few choices) , A feminist girl is an independent thinker, and it's important for her to be learning and growing.
Teach her things, from why there are clouds in the sky to why she has to sit in a booster seat in the car.
Encourage her to explore and ask questions.
Look for budding interests, and give her the opportunity to explore them further. , Stop the instinct to swoop in to the rescue if you see her having a hard time with something.
Instead, let her keep trying.
If you think she may need help, say "You can ask me if you need help." This lets her self-evaluate and decide whether she wants help from you. , Encourage consent with regards to hugs, kisses, tickles, and other types of touch.
If the girl says she doesn't want to be touched a certain way, respect that, and make sure other people do too.
Reward assertiveness with praise.
Say "nice job speaking your mind" or "thanks for letting me know that you don't like wet kisses.
Do you like kisses on your hair?" Encourage her to ask for things she wants.You can be a role model by setting your own boundaries.
For example, you can say "I'm tired right now and I don't want a hug" if you don't want to be hugged. , She can be a scientist, a teacher, a mathematician, a full-time mom...
Let her choose whatever she thinks is most interesting.Show her stories about women in the fields that she finds interesting (whether it's a hobby or something she's considering for a job).
Tell a girl who loves to paint about Frieda Kahlo, and teach a girl who loves computers about Grace Hopper.
This can help her imagine herself doing similar things. , Teach her the correct names for her body parts, to take any shame out of the equation.Avoid criticizing her body, such as calling her too fat, and don't criticize your own in front of her.
If she starts yelling about her butt in public, you can explain to her "We usually talk about these in private, because these are private parts, so other people don't need to know." Keep details age-appropriate.For example, your seven-year-old doesn't need to know how painful and gory childbirth can be. , It's okay to call her cute or pretty every once in a while—but don't make this the only nice thing you say about her.
Compliment her mind, her kindness, her assertiveness, and other positive traits unrelated to how she looks.
This helps her learn that she's a valuable person for who she is, not what she looks like.(Being cute is just a bonus.) , Feminism's goals include fairness and supporting each other, so it's important for her to know how to be kind and be a good listener.Talk about considering how other people feel and treating them well.
Teach her that the right kind of success is never achieved by hurting other people. , Don't judge people for having different lifestyles.
Instead, acknowledge that different things work for different people.
Be honest and open about differences in race, disability, religion, age, culture, and other things.
Be matter-of-fact and positive, such as "Yes, Jamal has dark skin.
Different people have different skin colors, and all kinds are beautiful" and "Audrey flaps her hands when she's happy, because she's autistic.
And you giggle and snort when you're happy."
About the Author
Madison Taylor
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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