Why Girls That Create? Several years ago, I became part of the team behind WONDER WOMEN! THE UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICAN SUPERHEROINES. The documentary film explores the enduring legacy of Wonder Woman and how powerful women are often portrayed in mainstream media. It also encourages girls to be creators of the media they want to see.
Fast forward to 2019. The need to nourish and inspire girl creators is just as necessary now as it was then. Although women currently comprise half of the U.S. population, mass media continues to show them in much smaller numbers. This underrepresentation is also true for women who are behind the scenes, creating. That is why I launched Girls That Create in 2019. This online platform exists to support the parents and caregivers of future female creators.
Consider The Numbers
• A 2019 report found 69 percent of news wire bylines (AP and Reuters) are snagged by men; 31 percent by women. (Women’s Media Center)
• In 2018, women comprised just four percent of directors working on the top 100 films, eight percent on the top 250 films, and 15 percent on the top 500 films. (Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film)
• In a recent study of 820,000 exhibitions across the public and commercial sectors, only one third were by women artists. (The Art Newspaper)
• Another 2019 study on the music industry revealed female songwriters and producers are vastly outnumbered. Across seven years, 12.3 percent of songwriters of the songs were female. More than half (57 percent) of the 633 songs examined did not credit one woman as a songwriter. (USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative)
Empowering Girls and Caregivers
To change these and other daunting numbers, girls must be encouraged to hold the paintbrush, pound the keys, learn programming, get in front and behind the camera, and push for leadership positions. And those of us who love them must be their champions. This is why I’m launching Girls That Create.
According to World Economic Forum, leading global employers consider creativity one of the top three skills most important to career success. Girls That Create will have posts and resources for developing creative thinking, boosting confidence, growing skill sets and constructing beneficial environments. The site will also offer practical tips and product reviews.
My goal is for caregivers and girls to find Girls That Create empowering and for the site to help spark future female creators.
How You Can Help
Come back to this site! Invite family and friends to sign up for the newsletter! Follow along on social media! And please send feedback or topics you’d like Girls That Create to cover. Looking forward to you being on this journey with me.
Top image by Bich Tran from Pexels
