Girls in America - The Findings

The average model today weighs 23% less than the average American woman. 1
If the measurements of a Barbie doll were translated into human terms, a 5'9" tall Barbie would be 33-18-28 (bust-waist-hips). The average 5'6" beauty contest winner measures 36-25-35. 2
More than 80% of grade school girls (6th grade and below) report having been on a diet at least once. 40% of nine and ten year-old girls report having been on a diet. Most of them were not overweight. 3
50% of white girls ages 12-16 consider themselves overweight and only 15% consider their bodies normal. This is 6 times the rate for boys. 4

Girls start school testing higher in every academic subject, yet graduate from high school scoring 50 points lower than boys on the SAT. 5
Prior to entering college, 23% of male valedictorians and 21% of female valedictorians felt intellectually "far above average." After four years of college, 25% of the males felt intellectually "far above" their peers; none of the women believed that about herself. 6
When asked "What is the best thing about being a boy?" the most common response among middle school aged boys was "not being a girl." When asked "What is the best thing about being a girl?" the top answer was "I don't know" or "Nothing" followed by responses focusing on hair and shopping. 7
Before passage of Title IX, 300,000 girls participated in high school sports. After Title IX, 2.37 million girls participated in high school sports. 8
Girls who participate in sports report lower pregnancy rates and beginning sexual activity later than girls who do not participate in sports. 9
85% of girls in grades 8-11 report experiencing sexual harassment. 10

Title IX: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." (1972)

Naomi Wolf. The Beauty Myth, 1991
Marilyn Ferris Motz, "I Want to Be a Barbie Doll When I Grow Up" in The Popular Culture Reader, 1985
Nanci Hellmich, The New Our Bodies, Ourselves, 1992, 1996
Dr. Richard S. Strauss, July 1999
Myra Sadker. Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat Girls, 1995
Chronicle of Higher Education, 9 October 1985
Dr. Cynthia S. Mee, 1985 - Women's Educational Equity Act Publishing
Center; replicated previous study by AAUW, Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America, 1991-1992
Women's Sports Equity Foundation Gender Equity Report, 1998
Women's Sports Foundation, 1998
AAUW, Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America, 1991-1992