about Respect Rx

RESPECT co-author, Courtney Macavinta, blogs for girls and women about how to build your self-respect and spread respect for all! At The Respect Institute she teaches people of all ages how to integrate The Respect Basics into their lives, work and advocacy. More about About Courtney

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respectrx
Social Change + Activism

Be a Girl On a Mission

Want to change your world?

Throughout history, women and girls around the world have bravely fought for respect—taking both small and gigantic risks—so that females everywhere could live more freely, safely, and equally. Every girl can be a respect activist in her home, school, hallways, community, and around the world.

Part of spreading respect is being a girl on a mission. You find your mission by keeping your eyes wide open. When you see a problem, take notice. Imagine what you can do about it, then take a stand by speaking your mind. You can:

• Write a letter to a company if you find fault with its products or practices. Express your opinion and suggest changes.

• Send an email or letter to your congressperson to fight a law that’s unjust or lobby for legislation to better protect girls’ rights.

• Call a meeting with your principal to discuss disrespectful behavior going on at school, what needs to change, and how you might help.

• Speak up if you’ve been sexually harassed, bullied, or abused, or if other girls you know have been harmed by violence. Seek the help of adults you trust or start by calling a crisis helpline.

• Write an editorial for your school or local newspaper about a problem in your community (like if funding has been cut for girls’ after-school programs). Or contact reporters who have written articles about related topics and suggest they explore the problem further.

• Create artwork, poems, stories, or essays that express your views about what’s happening to girls in your community or the world.You might even sell your work to raise money for a cause that supports girls.

•Give a speech at school, attend a local political event, or run for student government to spread the word about respect or other causes you care about.

Click here to download PDF version.

Adapted from RESPECT: A Girl's Guide to Getting Respect & Dealing When Your Line Is Crossed. Copyright © 2005, Courtney Macavinta and Andrea Vander Pluym. For use with permission from Free Spirit Publishing. For more information, contact Amy Dillahunt, 612-338-2068, dillahunt@freespirit.com.

 

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<< Previous: Why I Want Girls To Get Respect (Or My Life As a Teen Wild Child) | Next:Girls For A Change >>