Adolescent girls have enough to worry about without being harrassed, controlled and shamed for just being who they are. Adolescent girls have the right to wear what they want, say what they want, read what they want, write what they want, love who they want, listen to whatever music they like, and hold whatever religious beliefs they want, or to not hold religious beliefs at all. For example, if they want to wear comfortable pants instead of a dress to school, they should have the right to do so. If they want to wear something in support of breast cancer research, they should have the right to do so.
They have the right to go to school and get a good education without being victimized as a slut because of what they wear and be secure in their person and not be raped. And it is not only adults that bully, harrass and shame adolescent girls, but their peers do it as well, and school authorities often do nothing to stop it. It is no surprise that today's adolescent girls are prone to depression, self-destructive behavior such as cutting and eating disorders and suicide. Being treated as second-class citizens may also result in violent acting-out behaviors that cause adolescent girls to be branded as criminals.
Leave adolescent girls alone! Please treat them with the respect, dignity and humanity they deserve!
