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Very Important Females
Young women from across the borough have
come together at a unique event to celebrate all the things that’s great
about being a women today.
The Very Important Females event also aimed to celebrate the differences
between women’s shapes and appearances, raise awareness of how women are
portrayed in the media and to highlight the airbrushing techniques used
to portray unrealistic images of women in magazines.
Throughout the special event, which took place at Rosebridge High
School, tons of different activities were taking place.
Young women created their own animations around body image and were
shown shocking examples of how models are airbrushed in magazines to
create completely unrealistic pictures of women today.
Bianca Jansen, 16, from Leigh, was one of those taking part in the
activities. She said: “We are trying to get across what it is about
being a woman.
“We can be individual and different, and we have different skills to
men.
“We’ve spent all day putting our point across about why it’s a good
thing to be a woman.”
Georgina Hall, 17, from Lowton Girls Group also created her own
presentation celebrating all the brilliant things about women.
Different pictures of girls were shown with quotes such as: “I like
being a women because I own myself and I can make up my own mind”, and
“Women are confident. I feel valued and I value others”.
Georgina said: “We wanted to show that we should be proud to be women
and that we don’t have to change for anyone.”
The day also saw powerful women from across Wigan Borough come and talk
to the young women.
Sheila Martland, Wigan Council’s Youth Service manager, was one of those
people.
She told the young women: “As life progresses you can be unique and
achieve so much as a woman.
“We are very powerful - powerful in numbers and powerful on our own.
This is something we have to believe in.
“Being a woman is a great thing.”
The day was organised by Wigan Council’s Youth Service and Positive
Activities for Young People team, Lowton Girls Group and Marsh Green
Girls.
It was also supported by Feminist Webs who focus on positive youth work
with young women.
Kim Curless, Positive Activities for Young People co-ordinator, said:
“Today we are raising awareness about feminism for these young women and
what that means exactly.
“We have been trying to look at the different factors and aspects of
life that impact on them as women, and at this event we have given them
the space and freedom to explore these issues.
“Once you become aware of the issues like oppression of women and
negative role models in the media you can make changes and stand up to
it.
“Through events like this, these young women can learn that they really
are very important females.”
ENDS.
Further information.
For more information contact Angela Kirk, Young People’s Press
Officer for the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust,
on 01942 828923 or e-mail
A.Kirk@wlct.org
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