Texas girls' well-being ranks low, report says
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Texas ranks 41st in the country for girls' physical, academic and emotional well-being, per a new report from the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas.
Why it matters: The findings point to a gender gap between boys and girls that only widens in adulthood, the organization says.
Stunning stats: Nationally, the number of girls who report feeling persistently sad or hopeless is nearly double that of boys, the report says.
- The report found that only 8% of girls in Texas get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day, putting the state in last place for physical activity compared with other states.
- Meanwhile, 76% of girls report watching TV or playing video games for over three hours a day.
- The report highlights critical needs among girls that educators, parents and community organizations should all be working to address, says Ashley Crowe, CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, which covers 32 counties including Dallas, Collin and Denton.
Between the lines: Long screen time, societal pressure to be perfect, relatively low funding for programs that cater to girls and a shortage of safe spaces outside school just for girls could account for the findings, according to speakers at an event this week unveiling the report.
Case in point: Kaitlyn Porter, a Girl Scout and high school senior from Mansfield, said at the event that she often sees boys having more "carefree fun" than the girls around her.
- "There's a lack of screen-free environments, communities and third spaces that adolescent girls feel comfortable existing in, in general," Porter said.
The upside: Texas ranks second in the country for girls' graduation rates, per the report, which analyzed government surveys, federal education and health data and surveys of parents and girls in North Texas.
What they're doing: Dallas Trinity FC advises coaches in North Texas on how to better support young female athletes, and Trinity players mentor younger women in sports.
- "Coaching a 4-year-old in soccer is different than coaching a 12-year-old in soccer. Coaching a boy in soccer is different than coaching a girl in soccer. Shining a light on those nuances and differences can go a long way," Dallas Trinity FC president Charlie Neil tells Axios.
The bottom line: "This community needs to take a second look at what we're doing for our girls. They are getting missed. Things are happening to them, and at them, and for them that are not healthy for them," Crowe says.