Case Study
Girls, Bodies & Belief
Exploring body positivity to increase the confidence of Year 10 girls at Durham Johnston School
According to a 2021 survey of 200 teens aged 13 to 21 from ParentsTogether, young people who use beauty filters weekly are more likely to want to have cosmetic surgery and to alter their skin colour. Overall, 61% of respondents reported that filters contributed to them having negative thoughts about their appearance. Are female beauty standards and the pressure of social media affecting girls’ wellbeing?
Creatively exploring harmful gender stereotypes
We were approached by a teacher with a pastoral role for Year 10 students at Durham Johnston School, who told us: “I am keen to organise something to tackle the ever-growing need of mental health and wellbeing with out students and wondered what projects you could run in this area? I am particularly interested in girl friendships, resolving conflict and body image.”
Following a discussion as to how we could support the target group, the teacher summised the project to the girls’ parents as setting out “to explore themes of body image, confidence and mental health amongst girls” including “what is normal or is in fact just societal norms that we can question and challenge. The topics covered in this project are prevalent in Year 10 and are designed to tie up with some of the individual pastoral support we have given to your child.”
What we delivered together
Understanding the girls’ self image
We explored messages girls and young women receive from other people that can cause harm or feelings of not being worthy or good enough. We discussed what needed to be done to change and how these changes might positively impact on their feelings towards themselves and others.
Creative activities for self-care
We discussed how we build up our inner voice and feel grateful for what we have and are capable of, developing positive affirmations, writing an aspirational letter to their future self and creating gratitude bracelets and lavender herbal bath bags as a self-care treat.
Creating an artwork to support positive self-image
Inspired by mental health affirming artwork by Daisy Arts and Lou Brown, we co-created an applique textile banner comprising the positive messages the girls wanted to hear about themselves, with a view to displaying the banner outside the school student support office for Year 10s.
Outcomes
Teacher benefit
Teachers gained insight into the gendered challenges the girls were facing to enhance the support they were able to offer them and gained creative techniques and materials they could use with future cohorts.
Student benefit
The girls learnt to notice the harmful gendered messaging they had internalised and how to turn it around to build a more positive self-image, gaining a range of techniques for supporting their wellbeing.
Wider benefit
The school gained an artwork for permanent display to support their efforts to reinforce positive messaging and celebrate the diversity of people and bodies in contrast to the social pressure for girls to look a certain way.
