A Tale of Two Sisters
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| Meg & Me, 2000 |
My sister Megan is 5.5 years younger than I. There are few days that we've ever gone without talking and I've come to learn her every quirk. As a high school freshman, she already has her dream college picked out, of course, it's a trans-inclusive all-girl school. She is loving, feisty, relentless, bright, and quick as a whip. And, at age fourteen, she would be the first one to tell you that. She actually loves herself.
Wait, how'd that happen?
The statistics are against her. She is supposed to be soft spoken and modest. She's twice as likely to become depressed opposed to her teenage male counterparts. Half of girls her age struggle with eating disorders. Every girl has a friend, or a cousin, a sister, a girlfriend who has struggled with their identities in a way that becomes physically harmful to them.
I am currently creating a homemade zine as an ode to watching of Megan's success story. I want to fill this 16-page zine with illustrations, collages, stories, and my favorite: interviews. I intend to cover four vital topics for girls ranging from 10-16: gender, stigmas toward puberty, body image, and sexual harassment. These are personal topics and I've been lucky enough to know some great women. My grandma, a one time sole pro-life member on her Catholic Women's Guild. My sweet friend Rachel, a resilient, strong girl enduring gastric bypass & various plastic surgeries. My insightful mother who has shared stories about growing up without a shred of education about women's health.
I think the only thing that can help guide teen girls who fall prey to gender ideals and who they are supposed to be is no one is supposed to be anything except how they feel. And, above all else, teen girls should feel valued and important. I hope my zine, filled with stories of different women experiencing such similar societal pressures, guide young women to understand that they are not alone. Once young girls know that there is a community of women to support them in the future, there is a chance at a more equal world for them.
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| Meg & Me at her middle school graduation, 2014 |
Hey Mara, I can't wait to see the zine you were talking about. I love stories, they can be very inspiring. I like how you make everything clear. Hopefully your zine will be very easy to access. I also like the idea of interviews, illustration, and pictures! I am looking forward to see the final project!
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