Girl Positive: A hopeful look at the lives of modern girls

The modern lives of girls and young women seem bleak when viewed through the lens of the mainstream media — victims of cyberbullying, unfair dress codes, sexting gone awry — but that’s only one side of the story. Girl Positive, a new book from writers Tatiana Fraser and Caia Hagel, shines an encouraging spotlight on girls who are shaping the world while grappling with societal pressures and cultural expectations. Fraser, the co-founder of the Girls Action Foundation, and Hagel, co-editor-in-chief of SOFA magazine, travelled across North America — from Toronto to Whitehorse, Detroit to L.A. — to hang out with real girls in their classrooms, bedrooms and skate parks. The result is an in-depth look at how young women view the world, coupled with “survival kit” advice for the adults on how to spark conversations, question cultural stereotypes and support girls’ leadership.