Many girls interviewed wanted more guidance on what to do if someone harasses them with requests for explicit photos.

A recent study has shown just how common it is for teen boys to coerce or threaten girls into sending nude pictures: an analysis of 500 accounts from 12- to 18-year-old girls about negative experiences sexting found that two-thirds of them had been asked to provide explicit images — and that the requests often progressed from promises of affection to "anger displays, harassment and threats." In an article discussing the study in The New York Times, psychologist Lisa Damour writes, "Teenagers are drafted into a sexual culture that rests on a harmful premise: on the heterosexual field, boys typically play offense and girls play defense… Most schools and many parents already tell teenagers not to send sexualized selfies. But why don't we also tell adolescents to stop asking for nude photos from one another?"  Continue reading → Continue reading

From first crushes to first dates, these tips will help you prepare your Mighty Girl for a lifetime of healthy relationships.

Maybe your Mighty Girl has started talking about a classmate with a dreamy look in her eye, maybe she and her friends giggle over a pop star or movie heartthrob, or maybe she's outright told you she wants to go on a date! "Between the ages of 10 and 13, kids start having crushes and thinking about sexuality and romance, however they envision it," says Dr. Marilyn Benoit, a child and adolescent psychiatrist — and that's uncertain territory for many parents. It's natural to wonder if she's ready to enter the dating world, or to want to protect her from a broken heart. At the same time, these early dating experiences provide an opportunity for parents to help their girls lay a framework for future healthy relationships. It's no wonder that parents are often at a loss for how to support their daughters as they enter this new phase! Continue reading → Continue reading

The newly minted astronauts are the first class from NASA's Artemis program which planning missions to the Moon and, ultimately, missions to Mars.

When NASA's newest astronaut class graduated this week, it included five mighty women! The new astronauts have spent two years in intensive training in a wide variety of skills, including spacewalking, robotics, International Space Station (ISS) systems, T-38 jet proficiency, and the Russian language. "As astronauts, they’ll help develop spacecraft [and] support the teams currently in space," NASA wrote in a graduation announcement, "and ultimately join the ranks of only about 500 people who have had the honor of going into space." Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of books about Mighty Girl immigrants historically and in modern times.

It takes courage, determination, and hope to travel hundreds or thousands of miles and start a new life in an unfamiliar country, and yet for generations, people have immigrated into new lands and cultures in search of a better life. While many things have changed about the immigrant experience over time, some things remain the same: new immigrants face unfamiliar customs and sometimes new languages, and a challenging balance between blending in to their new home and maintaining the traditions they loved from their old one. Continue reading → Continue reading

Greta Thunberg's leadership has inspired millions of young people to take a stand and demand action on climate change.

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teen activist who founded the Youth Strike for Climate Movement and was one of 2019's most influential people, turned 17 today! She began her skolstrejk för klimatet (school strike for climate) in August 2018 as a solo protest, but today her Fridays for Future protests span the globe. An estimated 1.4 million students in 125 countries turned out for the first Global Climate Strike in March and six million people participated in September's climate strike actions that took place in 4,500 locations in 150 countries. Greta has persisted in her work to demand action from governments to address this environmental crisis, despite frequent criticism, much of it based on her age. "I agree with [my detractors], I’m too young to do this," she wrote early in 2019. "We children shouldn’t have to do this. But since almost no one is doing anything, and our very future is at risk, we feel like we have to continue." Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of 2019 biographies and memoirs about Mighty Women for adult readers!

Nothing is more exciting than discovering an intriguing new biography or memoir — especially when it tells the story of a mighty woman! From thrilling stories about women war heroes, to engaging biographies about the pioneering suffragists who won women the vote, to searing accounts of overcoming harassment and abuse, these books provide an important perspective that's often missing in mainstream history books. And, just as our Mighty Girls love reading books about smart, confident, and courageous girls and women, we know that our adult supporters love their stories too! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of clothing, toys, and book kits for book lovers of all ages!

With all of the amazing girl-empowering books out there it might seem like book lovers are easy to buy gifts for, but what if you want to get them something other than more titles for their library? Fortunately, there’s a whole world of gift options to help your Mighty Girl — or the adult book lovers in your life — celebrate their love of books, literature, and reading. Continue reading → Continue reading

From science to superheroes to women's history, our favorite Mighty Girl socks for teens and adults!

There are few things as much fun as a pair of unique, colorful socks! Mighty Girls — and the women they grow into — have a huge range of interests and talents, but those interests are often not reflected in the clothing options available to them. Continue reading → Continue reading

Our top picks of Mighty Girl role model dolls from Frida Kahlo to Rosie Revere, Engineer!

For many Mighty Girls, a beloved doll or action figure becomes a constant companion. With so many new dolls based on both real-life and fictional female role models, now is the perfect time to give her one to look up to! From scientists to artists to superheroes, these dolls represent many positive values including intelligence, courage, compassion, perseverance, curiosity, and more. Whether you're picking a person that your Mighty Girl already admires, or introducing her to a role model that you think she'll love, our blog post will help you find the perfect doll for encouraging her to dream big! Continue reading → Continue reading

From science to art to pretend play, our recommendations will help you pick the perfect toy for the special "big box".

If your Mighty Girl is especially drawn to science, art, robotics, or something entirely different, it might be worth spending a larger portion of the holiday gift budget on one very special present that will allow her to delve deeply into that interest. Continue reading → Continue reading