A new blog has gone viral on TikTok, and Gen Z girls are flocking in droves to the site.
Being a teenage girl is hard — and social media and societal pressures don’t make it any better.
But some are finding solace in an online community dedicated to all the ups and downs of being a girl called Girlhood. The blog-style forum allows teen girls to seek advice from other girls who have been through similar situations.
Mia Sugimoto and Sophia Rundle founded the site in August and describe it as an “organization encouraging teenagers to share their stories and find the support they need.”
The pair met when they were 14 years old during their freshman year of high school through mutual friends and “instantly clicked” thanks to all their shared interests.
“Above all else, though, we are both extremely motivated and passionate in all we do. This definitely fueled the creation of Girlhood and has aided in the success of the organization so far,” Rundle, 17, told The Post.
Sugimoto, 17, came up with the idea after watching Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie. She loved how the film brought girls of all ages together and wanted to created a website that encapsulated the feeling of sisterhood.
“When she ran the idea by me, I absolutely loved it!” Rundle shared. “We made a site where girls of all ages could ask for advice in a sort of ‘older-sister’ forum.”
The advice given in response is honest, gentle, conversational and genuine. The relatability and easy access to guidance from girls of a similar age or slightly older who have gone through it themselves has allowed for the site to go viral, with the TikTok page gaining 84,400 followers and 1.4 million likes since posting its first video on Aug. 20, and the Instagram page garnering a following of 13,100.
“I think that our Girlhood volunteers being teenage girls themselves not only gives those submitting inquiries a sense of comfort and relatability but allows us to offer advice from a similar perspective. Giving advice to teenage girls from the mind of a teenage girl allows us to resonate with our audience more, and aids in the spread of our message: that no girl is alone in this world,” Rundle shared.
Young Gen Z girls can submit their stories through a submission form, asking for advice on any topic such as break-ups and school. Stories can be “funny, scary, relatable, or entertaining,” and girls over the age of 15 can apply to be a Girlhood respondent to the submissions and offer advice.
“We want every girl to know that they belong and that there are girls all over the world willing to help,” the website explains. “Every girl has a story, and Girlhood gives them a chance to share it.”
Those who apply to be advice-givers will respond to questions that will allow the creators to “gauge your character and the type of advice you’d give” prior to choosing them. They note that the application process is “so selective,” being admitted is a resemblance of leadership, responsibility and kindness.
“Reading all of our advice submissions is so grounding because girls deal with so many similar trials and tribulations,” Rundle said. “This is definitely something we push in our organization; the fact that sometimes, simply hearing the advice another girl their age can offer is so valuable.”
Chief Medical Officer of The Jed Foundation (JED) Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth told The Post that there are benefits to hearing from other young people about their own personal experiences and advice.
“People your age may have gone through similar experiences, and may be able to share how they have navigated friendships, relationships, or academics. Hearing from peers can remind you that you’re not alone,” she said. “For many young people, social media can offer opportunities for community and connection.”
Rundle shared that they have received an endless amount of direct messages, emails and comments about how much this site means to the current generation of girls.
“We’ve had older women thanking us for creating a website that helps promote positivity in the younger generation specifically, telling us that they wished they could have had something like this when they were younger,” Rundle said.
She added, “Since there are thousands of girls that don’t have a mom, older sister, or friend to talk to about these things, Girlhood is so important as an organization. It grants these girls somebody they can receive reliable advice from.”
To share a story on the Tumblr-esque site, girls should specify in their form whether the story is for entertainment purposes or if they want genuine advice from one of the respondents. The submission may be anonymously posted on the blog “in order to reach a larger audience of girls struggling with similar issues,” but you can also write in your submission that you don’t want it publicly on the site.
Rundle explained that while a majority of submissions are private conversations between the applicant and the volunteer, there is an option to post the advice anonymously on the blog — but they only choose the submissions that they know will impact the greatest number of girls possible.
“For example, if there’s a recurring submission or topic we see in a lot of our inquiries, we’ll post a blog about it! That way it’s time efficient for us, while also being the most beneficial to the girls reading our blog,” she said.
The “Read” section of the site is split up into three parts: “Our blogs,” which include articles and advice from the founders, “Your blogs,” which shares the blog post submissions not asking for direct advice, and “Advice 2 girls,” showing the advice given to inquiries by the Girlhood team.
For example, one published blog submission details a story of a toxic friendship and how the person moved on.
Over on the “Advice 2 girls page,” one person begs the question, “How do I become okay with not having a lot of friends?”
Rundle shared her personal favorite success story from the blog, which was a “heartfelt” message in response to advice she had given.
“The girl was 16 and had really liked this boy for years. She asked for advice on what to do, and after reviewing her situation, I gave her advice on how to ask him out. She did, and a few days later emailed back thanking Girlhood for giving her the confidence to do so; they’re dating now!
“We’ve had so many of our volunteers also experience similar emails from those they’ve given advice to, and it’s so rewarding.”
However, Erickson-Schroth noted that a peer or online community can only provide so much support.
“While talking to a friend can help to normalize mental health issues and make us feel like we’re not alone, when it comes to emergencies, it’s important to bring a trusted adult into the conversation,” she advised. “Additionally, what works for one person doesn’t always work for another. Connecting with a professional can help us to explore coping skills and tools specific to us as individuals.”
The popularity of all things girlhood has heightened recently with a summer full of Barbie, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, bringing women to the forefront of the pop-culture sphere and shaping conversations on girl power.
But not everything is pretty in pink for girls.
Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have revealed a bleak picture of teen girls’ mental health.
The CDC’s biannual Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that 57% of teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, which is double the rate for teen boys (29%). Nearly one in three teen girls seriously considered attempting suicide.
The survey showed that hat nearly all indicators of poor mental health among high schoolers, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors, have increased in the last decade. Rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts particularly “increased dramatically” among female and LGBTQ+ students.
Results also revealed that a disturbing 14% of female high school students said they had been forced into sex without giving consent — compared to 12% in 2011. The new figure represents one in seven teen girls.
While Girlhood is a great resource for seeking a community and advice from other girls, the founders include a disclaimer on the website’s homepage, clarifying that the advice is not from professionals and providing a link to crisis hotlines and resources.
The disclaimer reads, “Girlhood is an organization run by teenage girls, meaning we are not mental health professionals, authorized, or licensed by any means. our advice is a reflection of our experiences, lessons, and things we’ve dealt with in our personal lives. Girlhood is a blog geared towards lighthearted advice, not mental health counseling.”
Erickson-Schroth told The Post that teens in distress are more likely to reach out to a peer around the same age than an adult, and sometimes it’s particularly beneficial to have that connection.
“For example, young people who are considering reaching out to a therapist may benefit from hearing about positive experiences their friends have had connecting to mental health care,” Erickson-Schroth said. “It’s important to ensure young people are equipped to support their friends, but we also want to make sure that they know they can turn to a caring adult if needed.”
She also explained that the best therapists are curious, so having a generational gap between therapist and patient isn’t detrimental — they just need to be interested in learning.
“There are a number of unique stressors young people are facing right now. They’re concerned about issues like climate change, racial injustice, and school shootings. Validating what young people are going through can go a long way,” Erickson-Schroth shared.
Rundle agreed that talking to a therapist is extremely beneficial, but sometimes it’s simply easier to relate to someone your own age.
“There are definitely so many benefits that come from talking to a mental health professional. As teenage girls, we are not authorized to give advice on mental health, trauma, etc. so we make sure to stay completely clear of answering questions that stray into that territory,” she told The Post. “However, the vast majority of advice applications are things that are lighthearted and so much easier to resonate with coming from a teenage girl.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
