The important message of the #thisgirlcan campaign

Why I love Sport England‘s new #thisgirlcan campaign, which comes with an empowering message for women who feel scared to try out new sports or venture into the outdoors.

The important message of the #thisgirlcan campaign

The important message of the #thisgirlcan campaign

Anyone who’s ever been the only girl (or indeed the only beginner) venturing into the sea with a surfboard, staring up at a scary climbing wall or wobbling about on a road bike will know that many sports, and indeed the great outdoors in general, can sometimes be intimidating places, especially when you’re first starting out and learning the ropes.

Sport England’s new This Girl Can campaign knows this well, finding that 75% of women say they’d like to exercise more but are worried about what others will think of them. Girls were concerned that they weren’t fit enough or skilled enough to try new things, and were fearful of being judged.

As someone who is always keen to try out new sports and activities (and I’m not particularly great at the ones I do regularly!), these are feelings I can really relate to. I’ve definitely made a lot of mistakes in my time, and probably looked rather stupid in the process, so it’s great to hear that I’m not alone. And whilst I find the girls out there who are professional athletes and daring explorers incredibly inspiring, it’s the real-life women in #Thisgirlcan’s campaign who feel relatable and honest.

If encouraging more girls into sport doesn’t sound like a pressing problem, get this. Two MILLION fewer women than men aged 14-40 regularly participate in active endeavours in the UK. Time to change that, don’t you think?

The important message of the #thisgirlcan campaign

Seize the day

So let’s seize the message behind This Girl Can. You don’t have to look typically fit or be athletic to get out there and enjoy exercise and the outdoors. You don’t have to be an expert, and anyone who makes you feel like you do is just plain wrong. But you do have to be brave enough to take the plunge. The first step, the first stroke, the first climb – it’s always the hardest, but it gets easier as you go, I promise. And remember, making mistakes is okay. If you’re making mistakes, you’re learning from them.

As the inspirational Clare Balding, one of the campaign’s spokeswomen, said, “Exercise changes the way you look at life. You stop seeing boundaries, and start seeing opportunities. Sport is not about getting fit or competing, it’s about being alive.”

“We want to tell the real story of women who exercise,” added Sport England chief executive Jennie Price. “They come in all shapes and sizes and all levels of ability.”

Wise words, and I’ll add some of my own. Get outside and be proud of yourself for trying new things, for getting fit, for giving it a go. If #thisgirlcan, anyone can.

The important message of the #thisgirlcan campaign

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6 Comments

  1. January 15, 2015 / 6:39 pm

    Yes! I blogged about the campaign too and like you, I think the message is welland truly overdue. I hope that even just one woman sees the campaign and tries something new, or returns to a sport she had given up. I tries pilates for the first time this week and I passed out in a class full of experienced people. I think it had more to do with skipping breakfast than anything but when I saw this video it reminded me not to be too embarassed to go back next week.

  2. January 16, 2015 / 10:53 am

    Yes! This girl can. That advert could have included me – I jiggle and I sweat but I love it (most of the time). There seems to be an awful lot of pressure (on both men and women) to be the best at whatever sport they are taking part in – but the simple fact is it’s okay to be a beginner or even just someone who takes part for fun and exercise and nothing more. I love the campaign, it has certainly encouraged me to get back off my backside after a few weeks of inactivity and go and play outside just because I like it.

  3. sian
    Author
    January 16, 2015 / 11:05 am

    So great hearing about other people feeling inspired by This Girl Can! Great stuff ladies 🙂

  4. April 15, 2015 / 5:06 pm

    I love this campaign. In fact, it got me down to that gym. I looked ridiculous at first, and I probably still do, but now I just don’t care. There are always going to be the girls there with perfect hair and make up sauntering around. But you know what, I am pretty sure I feel better than them after a heavy session in there. #thisgirlcan

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