Teen Girls

Priceless, Not Worthless: Reminding Our Teen Girls of Their Value

By Aeshia DeVore Branch
http://www.essence.com/2012/12/23/priceless-not-worthless-reminding-our-teen-girls-their-value

From the stamps we carefully position on envelopes to ship our mail to the clothes we purchase to look our very best, everything has a price. But how does that economist view affect teen girls when they begin to evaluate their worth in society based on their looks, their family’s income, and the way they are judged by outsiders? It's no secret that young women are influenced daily by pop culture, their peers, misogyny, and the negative affects of bullying. What do we do when bullying and its often terrible consequences becomes one of the most talked about subjects in the media? Young girls, particularly young Black girls, receive endless messaging that they are not enough. The result? Doing anything to fit in.

As a teen, I endured some avoidable hiccups in life by making a few poor decisions. I was curious and had an undying desire of wanting to belong (sounds pretty normal). I followed the rules when it came to my education, curfew (sometimes), and respecting my elders, but outside of that trifecta, I made my own rules. No one talked to me about being financially smart, underage drinking, accepting the dark shade of my skin, the importance of loyalty, knowing it’s OK to say NO, independence, pursuing my dreams, expressing my passions, and BOYS!!! Like most young women, I struggled to develop my own voice and learn to be comfortable in my own skin.

It is beyond necessary that adults are vocal with young women about determining their key values in life, staying true to themselves, challenging the actions of others instead of just joining the crowd, and standing out instead of fitting in. Empowering our youth by teaching them everything we know creates a stronger unit instead of a competitive cluster of civilians.
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