Campaign highlights gender stereotypes impact on girls' confidence

• New research reveals devastating impact gender stereotypes have as 68% of girls say they make them feel less confident
• Over half (51%) of girls and young women say they have been told they can’t do something because they’re a girl
• Nearly half (49%) of girls say that being a girl has stopped them from doing activities like speaking up or joining a sports team
• Charity’s campaign seeks to encourage girls and young women to break through society’s gender stereotypes and inspire girls to know they can do anything

This International Day of the Girl, Girlguiding has launched a bold, national campaign to empower girls to realise their full potential - after new research reveals sexism and gender stereotypes continue to hold girls back from doing activities and pursuing potential passions.

Newly commissioned research by the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls, revealed 93% of girls and young women aged 11-18 notice gender stereotypes in everyday life and for nearly half (49%) of girls, these have prevented them from doing something they want to do. 23% said that being a girl had stopped them from joining a sports team and a fifth (20%) said it had stopped them from speaking up.

Over half (51%) of girls and young women say they have even been told they can’t do something because they’re a girl, and for 68% being told this made them feel less confident. These findings echo trends from Girlguiding's Girls’ Attitudes Survey* launched earlier this week, which highlighted how experiences of misogyny and sexism are exacerbating the decline in girls’ confidence.

The annual research revealed 85% of girls and young women aged 11-21 experience sexism in their daily lives, from sexist comments (53%) to when they’re online (73%). Experiences of sexism and misogyny are increasingly making girls feel unsafe, with more than double the number of girls saying they feel ‘unsafe’ because of sexism, compared to ten years ago (47% vs 17%).

Nearly 60% of girls and young women use Artificial Intelligence (AI) regularly and like every other aspect of girls lives these tools contain gender stereotypes in imagery. When asked how they feel after seeing gender stereotypes in images, over a third (35%) said “frustrated”, 19% said “sad” and 17% said “pressured to act a certain way”.

Launching today, the new Girlguiding campaign highlights a stark example of the gender stereotypes girls face in their daily lives. Using an AI tool, Girlguiding asked the software to imagine scenes such as building a campfire, playing football, fixing a bike, or leading a team. The resulting images all depicted men. In response, the campaign showcases Girlguiding members confidently doing these very activities, placed side by side with the AI-generated images, powerfully illustrating that girls are just as capable of these activities.

As part of the research girls were asked how they felt when they saw the AI images generated by the prompts. Showing the image of an AI-generated man fixing a bike, a fifth (20%) said it made them feel like it was something they couldn’t do.

Girls in Girlguiding are up to 23% more confident than girls in the UK on average.** Girlguiding provides a space where girls can have fun and try new things without judgement or the many pressures girls face in today’s world from everyday sexism, online pressures and social anxieties.

Girls from age 4 in the organisation’s youngest section Rainbows, right up to young women aged 18 in Rangers, are supported through the charity’s core programme which include age-appropriate activities and badges including wellbeing and resilience resources to challenge gender stereotypes.

The six programme themes include ‘Be Well’, ‘Take Action’ and ‘Know Myself’ which aim to empower and build confidence and leadership skills whilst helping girls and young women explore how to stay safe, healthy and happy, with badges ranging from ‘Healthy Mind’, ‘Self Care’. ‘Speaking Out’ and ‘Campaigning’ to ‘Mindfulness’.

The charity’s innovative peer education programme also provides invaluable opportunities for girls and young women to discuss challenging topics in supportive spaces, peer to peer helping to further help break down any stigma or taboos whilst building confidence.

Amanda Azeez, director of communications, marketing and fundraising at Girlguiding said: “Our new research reveals how exposure to gender stereotypes can undermine girls’ confidence, particularly in areas traditionally seen as 'just for boys.' Combined with the data from our Girls' Attitudes Survey, released earlier this week, it's clear that there is a significant confidence crisis among girls and young women. This campaign aims to visually inspire girls, showing them that they truly can do anything. While strides have been made in breaking down stereotypes, especially in activities like football, there’s still much work to be done to build confidence and challenge societal perceptions—an issue we bring to life with the help of AI.”

Girlguiding Advocate Megan said: “The impact of gender stereotypes on girls’ confidence is heartbreaking but expected. Girls are being limited due to being told they can't do things, which is reflected in girls' involvement in sports, politics, STEM and other traditionally gendered activities, affecting their confidence. Girlguiding allows girls and young women to try new things in a safe and inclusive space that is free from gendered expectations, building their confidence and letting them know that they can do anything,”

As the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls, Girlguiding works with decision makers, funders and other stakeholders across society to help tackle the undue pressures girls and young women face.

Girlguiding is calling on UK decision makers to take the concerns of girls and young women seriously. Girlguiding would like to see new and inclusive Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) resources in schools, to tackle sexism and misogyny and encourage better, healthier relationships.

The organisation is hoping to reach and inspire more girls to challenge gender stereotypes and empower them to know they can do anything in the supportive spaces it currently provides to over 300,000 girls aged 4-18 across the UK. Without the support of its 80,000 volunteers, Girlguiding wouldn’t exist and so to help inspire the next generation the charity is calling for more volunteers to join its community to help show the next generation of girls what they’re capable of.

The campaign will run for three weeks (11-31st October) across outdoor sites all over the UK, including billboards in in Glasgow, Manchester, Norwich and London. It'll also be running online across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Display and Netflix.