The Supergirl Crisis

Are you a “supergirl?” Nineteen-year-old Liz Funk defines this as “a girl who believes that in order to be happy, she must excel at her job or career, have the best grades, wear the coolest clothes, date the best-looking boy, and have the perfect body size.”

Liz writes all about the supergirl phenomenon in her new book, . In her book, she closely follows five supergirls, and surveys a hundred more, and looks at how the pressures these girls face affects every aspect of their lives, from body image and career choices, to interactions with family and friends. Many supergirls become so competitive, including with themselves, that they may become depressed or develop emotional disorders.

At only 19, Liz is a self-professed supergirl herself, and has been published in USA Today, CosmoGIRL!, New York Magazine, and Girls Life, among others. She just crossed two items off her “bucket list” by getting to meet Matt Lauer and being interviewed live on The Today Show. To find out more about the book and Liz, check out her blog here.

I can’t wait to read Liz’s book, since I’m a recovering supergirl, although when I was in high school, I don’t think this phenomenon was understood. But I do remember that my BFF and I felt a lot of pressure to excel at everything, and I was never really sure where that pressure came from. Even now, the mentality of achieving and doing is still a part of who I am, although I’m definitely much less self-critical now. I hope Supergirls Speak Out helps young women become more aware of the crisis and stop it once and for all.

And for another great resource on the supergirl dilemma, check out Claire Mysko’s book
and read my interview with Claire here!