Dr. Shuping Wang faced violence and intimidation for exposing the truth about epidemics in China that killed more than one million people.

In the early 1990s, Dr. Shuping Wang discovered a shockingly high rate of contaminated blood at collection centers in China's Henan province. Despite threats, intimidation, and violence, Wang became a two-time whistleblower, exposing first China's hepatitis C epidemic and later its raging HIV epidemic, which killed over one million people in the country during this period. Wang said that there was never any question that she would persevere in exposing the truth about the epidemics even in the face of severe personal consequences. "Being a medical doctor, my primary interest is to my patients and to the public, not to myself," she said in an interview shortly before her death. "Speaking out cost me my job, my marriage and my happiness at the time, but it also helped save the lives of thousands and thousands of people." Continue reading → Continue reading

Strict gender norms and fears of witchcraft pushed women out of a centuries-long tradition.

By Laken Brooks, Doctoral Student of English, University of Florida; this article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

What do witches have to do with your favorite beer?

When I pose this question to students in my American literature and culture classes, I receive stunned silence or nervous laughs. The Sanderson sisters didn’t chug down bottles of Sam Adams in “Hocus Pocus.” But the history of beer points to a not-so-magical legacy of transatlantic slander and gender roles.

Up until the 1500s, brewing was primarily women’s work – that is, until a smear campaign accused women brewers of being witches. Much of the iconography we associate with witches today, from the pointy hat to the broom, may have emerged from their connection to female brewers. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of bullying prevention and empathy-building books for young children.

“The End of Bullying Begins With Me” is the message of National Bullying Prevention Month and at A Mighty Girl we believe that’s absolutely true! By teaching our children about bullying — what it is, the effects it has on everyone, and the ways that we can stop it — we can work to ensure that bullying becomes a smaller and smaller part of all our lives. Continue reading → Continue reading

Children, especially girls, begin to withhold friendship as a weapon as early as three years old.

Parents are often startled to realize that relational aggression — using the threat of removing friendship, ostracism, and other forms of social exclusion — can appear in children as young as three years old. For children that young, the experience of being pushed away by a friend can be utterly baffling, provoking anxiety at daycare or preschool. Moreover, as parents and educators observe these more subtle forms of bullying, it’s becoming clear that they require as much attention as physical aggression. As Laura Barbour, a counselor at an Oregon elementary school, observes, “Kids forget about scuffles on the playground but they don't forget about unkind words or being left out.” Continue reading → Continue reading

50 Mighty Girl costumes for do-it-yourself inspiration at every age!

Halloween is fast approaching, and for some Mighty Girls, that means making a costume straight out of their imagination or bringing to life their own interpretation of a favorite character! Every year, we're amazed by the creative and clever home-made costumes our community shares with us. In this blog post, we're sharing a small selection of the incredible DIY Mighty Girl Halloween costumes that have been submitted to our Halloween Gallery over the past few years. These diverse costumes highlight the inventiveness of Mighty Girls, and are sure to provide inspiration to the DIY-er that you know! Continue reading → Continue reading

Violence and aggression are never signs of love or affection.

When girls get teased, harassed, or bullied by boys, there’s often someone who pulls out this tired phrase: "I bet he likes you!" Many women have vivid memories of being told that by adult authorities when they were young and the same phrase pops up seemingly everywhere, including children's literature and movies. In recent years, however, people have started reexamining the toxic message this often well-intentioned phrase sends. Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You, a new middle grade book tackling this issue, says "I spent a lot of time following the #MeToo stories that were everywhere in the news. I began wondering: Where does this behavior come from?... Those words — 'maybe he just likes you' — are so familiar and so dangerous." In this blog post, we'll explore how this phase teaches both girls and boys to normalize unhealthy relationships — and denies them the chance to have the fulfilling, respectful friendships and romantic relationships they deserve. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of bullying prevention books for tweens and teens!

As kids enter puberty and their bodies and emotions start to change, bullying takes on new challenges: not only do relationships become more complex, but self-esteem is often more fragile and popularity can seem so much more important than it did a few years ago. So it’s particularly important for parents to continue offering their children resources to develop their understanding of relational aggression and bullying! Whether your Mighty Girl prefers to read fiction about the topic, or enjoys a non-fiction guide, there is material in this blog to help her unravel the complexities of bullying in middle school, high school, and beyond. Continue reading → Continue reading

Julie Andrews, star of beloved classics "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins," celebrates her 88th birthday!

Whether you first met her on stage at the West End in London or Broadway in New York; on the screen as Mary Poppins, Maria von Trapp, or Queen Clarisse Renaldi; or as the author of a beloved children's book like Mandy or The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles; or her memoirs Home and Home Work, chances are good you've been charmed by Julie Andrews! The legendary English performer and author is celebrating her 88th birthday today, and she's still touching the hearts of people around the world. Andrews is also quick to point out that her success over the years was far from smooth, however, providing an inspiring model of resilience for her fans young and old: "Perseverance," she says, "is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th." Continue reading → Continue reading

'I like good strong words that mean something...' -- Louisa May Alcott

Say the names Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and most people will immediately think of Little Women! Louisa May Alcott's classic American novel has touched generations of readers, been translated into multiple languages, and been adapted for stage, screen, and more. While its setting is in the midst of the Civil War, there is something about its messages about love, sisterhood, and identity that feels truly timeless, and just as relevant today as when it was written. Continue reading → Continue reading

Jeanne Villepreux-Power began her adult life as a dressmaker, but rose to become one of the preeminent marine biologists of her day.

If you've ever been captivated by colorful fish and sea creatures darting around an aquarium, you can thank 19th century French scientist Jeanne Villepreux-Power! Villepreux-Power began her adult life as a dressmaker, but rose to become one of the preeminent marine biologists of her day. Her invention of a glass box for holding and observing marine specimens — the first recognizable glass aquarium — earned her the title "Mother of Aquariophily" from British biologist Richard Owen. "[She] was not content with purely descriptive studies of dead specimens," French scientist Claude Arnal wrote in a tribute to her. "She was excited by life and its mysteries." Continue reading → Continue reading