Seven years ago, then-advertising executive and soon-to-be mom Molly Schleeter Bell couldn’t help but question the gender biases presented by children’s products. Flowers, hearts, and the color pink consistently characterized toys and clothes intended for girls. The 1997 Saint Mary’s College alumna is now mother to six-year-old daughter, Julia, and even more passionate about what she sees as a need to aid young girls in their understanding of who they are on the inside.
“There are lots of things happening in the market that are affecting our daughters’ self-esteem at a very young age and starting to push them in directions of thinking that their only purpose in life is to be a beautiful, sexual being that doesn’t have a mind of her own,” Bell said.
With the help of the Office of Special Events at Saint Mary’s College, Bell is hosting “Bloom for Girls,” a one-day summer program on Sunday, July 13 intended for middle-school girls and their moms or guardians. She designed the self-esteem building program with five women ranging from pediatricians to college professors to therapists. “Bloom” will promote positive conversations on issues like friendships and loving and accepting your body.
The seminar comes at an opportune time. In September, the College released of the Status of Girls in Indiana 2013 report—a comprehensive study by faculty and students on the health and well-being of Indiana girls ages 10-19. Among the data, the study found that girls suffer from low self-esteem and depression because of an array of outside factors. (To read the report, go to saintmarys.edu/StatusOfGirls.)
“This is something actionable that Saint Mary’s can be involved in to show that we are responding to those statistics, primarily those that indicate girls are experiencing depression at a higher rate and their self-esteem seems to go down after puberty,” Bell said.
Saint Mary’s College Director of Special Events Richard Baxter says Bell approached him with the idea for “Bloom” and the timing seemed just right. “When Molly came to me with her concept for the seminar, it was just about the time that faculty and students released the Status of Girls in Indiana report. We have been considering the creation of similar summer programming.”
The program will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 13 and is intended for middle school girls between the ages of 10 and 14 and their mothers or guardians. The program will cost $45 a person and will include a keynote speaker, two workshops, and a catered lunch. Attendance will be capped at 100 people. For more information, go to saintmarys.edu/camps or call the Office of Special Events at (574) 284-4625.
“Our ultimate goal is to make girls aware of their intelligence and of what drives them from the inside to build their self-esteem,” Bell said. “I want them to find the reward in fighting for justice and fighting for the greater good, even at a young age.”