Girlhood: Body Talk

Americans talk about girls’ bodies a lot. They have for more than a century. Why? Because girls’ bodies are often treated like community property. This video examines how body talk—everything from advice to advertising—has often, but not always, determines what it means to be a girl and steers girls toward certain ideas of womanhood. Learn more in the Girlhood (It’s complicated) online exhibition section on Wellness (body talk). For more information check out the online exhibit: https://americanhistory.si.edu/girlhood