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Show The Salt Lake Tribune OPINION AAB Sunday, Adults Should BeListening To Our MaturingGirls BY SHARON STETZ Whatdoes an 8-year-old girl in third grade know about dieting and watching calories? Unfortunately, a lot more than most adults realize. “Being Brittany Spears would be nice because you could wear a bikini without a big fat tummy sticking out all over the place.” How abouta fifth-grade girl's feelings about navigating within her peer group? “I moved up the EOCOL CENCEL EETPUENTE popularity food chain after I got new clothes.” These responses may not reflect what adults wantto hear, but importantfor us to listen to what they are saying. Likeitor not, we ““"pieed to hear whatour girls are telling us. Let’s start with the results of a focus group studyof girls ages 8 12, the first to be released by Girl Scouts of the USA’s newly launched research division, the Girl ScoutResearchInstitute. The study, “Girls Speak Out: Teens Before Their Time,” was conducted by Applied Research and Consulting LLC, for Girl Scouts.It gives voice to 1,300 girls from throughout the nation on issues ranging from relationships to physical development and gender roles. ‘The new study clearly shows that child development is being “hurried” or “compressed” and girls in particular are being pressured to deal with typical “teenage” issues years before-they becometeens themselves. Specifically, the Girl Scout study shows that for girls today, cognitive, physical and emotional developments are not working in sync. While cognitive and physical developments have accelerated, emotional development often has not. Of equal importance,the study finds that girls: want and need to speak out aboutstressful issues. But, disturbingly, many ° girls say their parents would be unwilling to listen to questions if the parents feel the girls are too young to ask them. A fifth-grader saysit best: “All they sayis, I'm too young andI shouldn’t even think aboutstuff like that until I'm 16. But I do [think about boys} anyway.” The Utah State Board of Education is walking a precarious line concerning its treatrient of Cour ZIONS REBATE? As they undergo more rapid changes,the girls in the study say they need family support more than ever as a source ofemotional and physical safety. The study also indicates that leaving questions aboutgirls’ concerns unanswered maylead them to gathet misinformation, or to believe their concerns are somehow “wrong,” or to believe that asking the questions will lead their parents to trust themless in the future. Studies like “Girls Speak Out: Teens Before Their Time,” highlight the need for girls to feel comfortable expressing themselves, and to be heard by adults. Girls havea lot to say. Their needs are’ important. This study makes clear thatit’s timeforall of us to listen, whether we're parents, teachers, or anyone involved in the growth and developmentofgirls. Girl Scouting has always pro- vided an accepting and nurturing environment for girls; a place where caring adult mentors listen togirls’ views, needs and concerns. Girls grow strong in Girl Scouting -—developing strong values,social conscience and conviction about their own self-worth. And, girls growstrong in the knowledge that they will be heard, A Native American proverb advises: “Listen, or your tongue will keep you deaf.” In thatsamespirit, we in Girl Scouting implore everyone tolistento girls. Listento girls, andhelp them growstrong! Sharon Stetz is CEO of Girl Scouts of Utah. For information about joining or volunteering with Girl Scouts, call 800 678-7809 or visit Girl Scouts of Utah’s Website at www.gsutah.org. Utah State Board of Education Must Change Anti-GayPolicies BY DOUG WORTHAM WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH the face of this very mission of fairness in ourpublic schools. This curricular policy runs directly ZIONS MORTGAGE LOAN CUSTOMERS DEAN AND#” MARCIA BURKE WITH THEIR NEW CHAIR. REBATE ON MORTGAGE’ ZIONS AUTO LOAN CUSTOMER STEVE TRILINGER WITH HIS NEW BIKE HELMET. $15 REBATE ON AUTO LOAN’ contrary to the board’s own moral and ethical conduct policy. One maynot harass lesbians and gays, lesbians and gays. Its own laudable policy states that an educatorshall not exclude from participating in any program any student onthebasis of sexual orientation. The policy further states that an educator shall not harass or discriminate against a student or co-workeron the basis of sexual orientation. In contrast, its curricular policy regarding homosexuality reads as follows: The acceptance of, or advocacy of, homosexuality as desirableor acceptable sexual adjustmentorlifestyle maynot be taught. This simplistic and shortsighted curricular policy is no longer tenable. It is no longer but one mustnotteach acceptance of them either! Such a mixed messageis irresponsible. Could one imagine such a contradiction addressing any other communities of race, religion, or ethnicity in Utah? Gay students, parents, teaches and administrators and as well as their families exist in every school ow through October 28, when you close a community in our state. Recent political and legal battles prove that not only do theyexist, but they are only beginningto stand up for new mortgage loan orauto loan, or open a new credit card at Zions Bank, you also qualify for a themselves, It is time that the Utah State rebate. Up to $500 on a mortgage loan of $75,000 or Board of Education emerges from its own closetof denial and abolish its patently bigoted curricular policy concerning gays andlesbians, more, $150 on an auto loan of $10,000 or more and $50 tenable because it contributes to an unsafe school atmosphere for Forthe board to do otherwiseis to send a clear and immoral mes- ona credit card with a balance transfer of $1,500 or all who are gay including the sageto all its gay constituents: You broader gay family of their straight and gay siblings and par- ents as well. The crux of the inherent contradiction of these twopolicies is simple. If one may not teachthat being gay orlesbian is acceptable, one has nochoice butto teach, either through hostile comments or si- lence, the opposite: that it is undesirable or unacceptable. Given that hostile comments about being lesbian or gay is forbidden, oneis reduced to varying degrees of silence. This silence promotes mystery, innuendo and misunderstandings about those whoare lesbian andgay. History teaches that such a void of truthful information concerning those who are marginal ized is oneof the core components of fear and discrimination. It is the moral responsibility of are less than others, so much so that the very wordsthat describe a more. Pick up a new chair for yourliving room. Orbike principal part of your being and life may not be spoken ofin a positive light. The very words of this policy and the resulting negative atmospherethat this policy creates and encouragestruly damagesthe tender psyches of our gay children gear to throw in the back of your new car, Or even a ciety must not abide such abuse. The current policy is shamebased and discourages enlightenment. It must be replaced by one which truly educates our young ‘itivity training concerning gay ues should be offered. Gay and lesbian student support clubs ought to be encouraged. Classroom curricula must include gay and lesbianissues in a fair and honest light. Thetruth about gay histori- als and families in our schools. Private schools are allowed to It is time that gay andlesbian youth, teachers, parents as well as quired to acceptall, to teach all, meet your needs. It’s more proof that we haven't forgotten whokeeps us in business*’ Apply today at your people about sexuality and sexual minorities. undo andprevent discrimination against gay and lesbian individu discriminate, They may discrim inate as to who may be admitted to their classrooms, whom they may employ, and toa degree, what they may teach. Public schools arere without it you'll get the loan or credit card that will and their families. A civilized so- cal characters and their contributionsto our wonderful world ought to be celebrated. the State Board of Education to new lamp to match your new credit card.” Whatever you do with your rebate, you can be sure that even their families be offered a fair seat at thetable of public education. In this great land of democracy and equality, one may legitimately ask this appropriate question, if not now, when? and to treatall fairly. For gays and lesbians under Doug Worthamis co-chair of the the board’s stewardship, the board's curricular policyflies in Utah chapter of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network. TOO WEIRD Chuck Shepherd's strange stories appear Mondaythrough Saturday on A-2. local Zions branch orcall 1-800-789-LOAN. ZIONS CREDIT CARD CUSTOMER JENNIFER VIOLA WITH HER NEW LAMP WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN Who KEEPS US IN BUSINESS.™ REBATE ON CREDIT CARD’ *Offer good onloan applications taken between 9/18/00 and 10/28/00 and closed before 12/10/00. Onecredit card rebate per customer. See representative for details *#Onecredit cardrebate per customer. ZIONS BANK : |
