PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release 3rd
March 2011
Girlguiding urges teenage girls to
think twice about cosmetic surgery
- Tips launched in response to shocking Girls Attitudes Survey
findings around cosmetic surgery desires
- Young women unite with experts to encourage their peers to
think twice about cosmetic surgery
Today Girlguiding is responding to the
shocking numbers of teenage girls considering cosmetic surgery by
launching ‘Give yourself a chance’, an interactive digital
resource offering tips to girls and young women urging them to
consider alternative ways to boost self esteem other than cosmetic
surgery.
Girlguiding has created ‘Give yourself a
chance’ to tackle an issue highlighted in their groundbreaking
surveys of attitudes amongst girls and young women which found
that:
· 47% of girls
think that the pressure to look attractive is the most negative
part of being female
· Half of young
women aged 16-21 would consider cosmetic surgery and;
· Over 1 in 10
girls aged 11-16 would consider cosmetic surgery to change the way
they look.
‘Give yourself a chance’ has already received the backing
of the Girlguiding youth panel Advocate!, Campaign for Body
Confidence, Mumsnet and BAPRAS, the British Association of Plastic,
Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Girlguiding are calling on
teens to openly discuss the issue and to consider a range of
alternatives to cosmetic surgery to help boost
self-esteem.
‘Give yourself a chance’ is aimed at
girls aged 12-16, who may not be members of the guiding movement.
It is the latest initiative in Girlguiding’s ongoing
commitment to promote body confidence in today’s girls and young
women and is a useful tool for all adults to share with the girls
and young women that they support.
Cathy Fraser Girlguiding spokesperson
and head of Girlguiding’s youth panel Advocate
said;
“Our research has shown the shocking
extent to which girls would consider drastic action to change the
way they look. Working closely with girls and young women, we are
all too aware of the pressures they face to conform to a certain
body image. ‘Give yourself a chance’ encourages girls to
boost their self-confidence without cosmetic surgery and to give
themselves the opportunity to develop fully. Guiding can give young
women the opportunity to build strong friendships, be challenged by
new experiences and adventures, from geo-caching to international
travel, and above all to accept themselves as they are”.
Lynne Featherstone, Minister for
Equalities said: “The constant pressure to look impossibly
perfect, be like skinny celebrities and conform to imposed
stereotypes is creating a rising tide of low self-esteem,
depression and anxiety amongst young girls and increasingly boys. I
want young girls to feel valued not because of what they look like
but for what they can contribute and achieve. But this is not a job
for Government alone. Everyone has a role to play which is why I am
delighted to lend my support to the ‘Give Yourself a Chance’
campaign which I think is an excellent and innovative way to reach
young girls and tackle this modern day virus which is undermining
so many.”
Simon Kay, consultant plastic surgeon and
member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and
Aesthetic surgeons said; “BAPRAS is pleased to
support the Give yourself a chance campaign and fully endorses a
policy of careful, considered and measured decision-making when it
comes to cosmetic surgery. We encourage girls to take their time,
discuss the issue with their parents or a responsible friend and to
ensure a cooling off period before making any decision”.
To encourage teen girls to give themselves a
chance, Girlguiding has worked with its young members and expert
partners to develop a series of tips. Expert commentary has been
provided by members of the Campaign for Body Confidence, BAPRAS and
TV presenter Jayne Middlemiss. Aimed at teens, it also includes the
experiences and testimonies of young people themselves in a bid to
show other young women how to celebrate their bodies and enhance
their self-esteem.
Try out lots of new things until you
find something that you really enjoy whether it is running,
cooking, climbing or writing. When you are feeling a bit down, do
that activity and you will feel so much more confident about
yourself. Liz, aged 21
To find out more or to view the online tips
please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/giveyourselfachance.
-Ends-
For more information,
high-res images or interviews with young women from Girlguiding,
please contact Jessica Peters on jessica.peters@girlguiding.org.uk
or 020 7592 1733/07990 553 940. Further supportive quotes
from Mumsnet and B-eat are available.
NOTES TO EDITORS
· The statistics
are results from the 2009 and 2010 Girls Attitudes Survey conducted
by Childwise on behalf of Girlguiding. For more information and
further results visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/girlsattitudes
· For more
information about ‘Give yourself a chance’ please visit
www.girlguiding.org.uk/giveyourselfachance
or join us on twitter at #giveyourselfachance
Girlguiding is the UK’s largest voluntary
organisation for girls and young women, with more than half a
million members and recognised volunteers. Over a third of girls
and young women (aged 7-21) are involved in guiding, or have been
in the past and almost half of all the women in the UK have been
involved in guiding at some stage in their lives. We run
Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section, enabling girls and
young women to develop their potential whatever their ability or
background. We are striving to offer new opportunities to a broad
diversity of communities through our expanding network of 60,000
trained volunteer Leaders.
At Girlguiding we seek to give girls a voice
and provide a unique, girl-only space where members feel
comfortable just being themselves. Our members, challenged by a
girl-led programme that extends beyond badges, enjoy a spectrum of
activities from outdoor adventure to pop-concerts to community
action.
Girlguiding, part of a worldwide Movement of
approximately 10 million girls and young women in 145 countries,
launched its Centenary celebrations in September 2009.
Registered Charity No: 306016,
file:///C:/Users/for-lucy/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/38YVDN3J/www.girlguiding.org.uk
· BAPRAS, the
British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic
Surgeons, is the voice of plastic surgery in the UK. It aims to
increase the understanding of the professional specialty and scope
of plastic surgery, promoting innovation in teaching, learning and
research.
· Founded in 1946
(originally as the British Association of Plastic Surgeons), today
BAPRAS has nearly 800 members and is the official professional
representative body for reconstructive and aesthetic plastic
surgeons providing services to patients on the NHS and privately in
the UK.