Summative Statement

Girls are too often portrayed as damsels in distress, inactive until they are seen and saved by a male hero. Changes are needed in the way girls are perceived - how girls view themselves and how others see and value them, to create a better environment. Addressing the notions of masculinity and femininity to children early in life (before biased gender norms are internalized) can have a positive impact in our society. It is therefore important that we portray more self-assertive females in children’s books/tv/movies because the continued lack of recognition that females are individuals who should have the same rights and privileges as males is the key barrier that is preventing social reform. Addressing social norms and gender power structures could also be used to help break the cycle of Global Poverty – a real problem in most developing countries where the society is still patriarchal and inequality between male and female still exists.

As a response to my dissertation I have produced a short children’s picture book about Malala Yousafzai (Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate) – icon for bravery, courage and hope and such an inspiration for all – what better way to teach kids of real bravery and courage by providing them with a real person as example? In addition to this Malala book, I have also proposed to make a series of books based on real stories of success and liberation about girls around the world. In short, my aim with the books is to further develop girls’ positive perceptions of themselves and shift how others see and value them. I believe that bringing more females of different cultures in books could help raise awareness of issues happening to girls around the world which I hope will encourage empathy to increase prosocial behaviours as well as reminding young girls that they too are capable of achieving great things.