Talking to the happy, enthusiastic girls at ClubGEN, it nevertheless becomes clear there are common issues the girls all face every day. When asked whether bullying is a problem, girls at every club I spoke to all answered emphatically as a group that it is. Some girls are being bullied, and all the girls have seen bullying happen. Negative self-talk, conflicts with friends, stress about school … girls are dealing with all of it, every day. And We Are Girls exists to help girls learn to navigate these challenges in the most positive way possible. GENaustin provides every girl at ClubGEN a scholarship to attend We Are Girls free of charge (and because we believe the Conference is so important, scholarships are also available for any girls or parents who otherwise couldn’t afford the $30 ticket).

Here’s what some ClubGEN girls had to say about what they thought was most important for girls like themselves to learn more about at the Conference:

 Lily

“A lot of girls are judgmental about their bodies & feel bad about them. The Conference would help girls to see they should respect each other and not say mean things that could hurt someone’s feelings or make them feel bad about how they look. It’s also important for girls to see they’re not alone & there are lots of other girls just like them.”

 Brianka

“The We Are Girls Conference teaches things that are really important to people my age. Sometimes even people who are your friends are mean to you, and it’s hard.  Learning about healthy friendships would help girls like my friends be nicer to each other.”

Robin

“Bullying is a big problem. Learning how to deal with bullies is important for girls, because we deal with bullying all the time. We need to learn how to support each other & not just stand by while other people are bullied, too.”

Solana

“Girls need to see that the way people look in magazines is not real life. They need to stop putting so much pressure on themselves to look a certain way. There’s photoshop and all this stuff & it will be good for other girls to see we are beautiful the way we are.”

 If you’d like to help make sure girls like Lily, Brianka, Robin & Solana can attend We Are Girls, please click here to donate. If you have a daughter who hasn’t already registered, do so now.  And if you have any questions about how to register or apply for a scholarship, email maria@genaustin.org. GENaustin wants to make sure every girl & parent has the opportunity to attend this amazing event!