When a Girl Speaks, We Need to Listen

By Nicole Cisne Durbin

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to believe a girl.

Not just to hear her words, but to really listen. To take her seriously. To make sure she knows that what she thinks, what she feels, and what she experiences matters.

There's a story in the national news right now about a woman who disclosed childhood abuse, whose experiences were questioned, and whose painful history is now being discussed publicly. I'm not interested in the politics of it. What I can't stop thinking about is the message being sent to girls who are watching.

What does a young girl take away when she sees a woman questioned or publicly criticized for speaking about something painful that happened to her? Does she learn that her voice matters? Or does she wonder what might happen if she ever needs to speak up?

For too long, girls and women have been taught, sometimes subtly and sometimes painfully, that their voices carry less weight. That they should be agreeable, not difficult. That they shouldn't make others uncomfortable. That perhaps it's easier to stay quiet.

And I wonder how many girls have learned to question themselves because someone else questioned them first.

The 2026 State of the Girl report gives us plenty of reasons to pay attention.

Nearly 7 in 10 girls between the ages of 5 and 13 report feeling lonely. And by high school, 58% of girls don't believe they're smart enough for their dream job.

Think about that. Girls who have so much to offer are already questioning whether they're enough.

But here's what else we know. More than half of girls say having a friend beside them gives them the courage to try something new. And having even one consistent, caring adult can make a meaningful difference in a girl's life.

That's why Girl Scouts matters.

It's not simply about badges, cookies, or camping. It's about creating a place where a girl can show up as her whole self. Where she can ask questions, challenge ideas, make mistakes, take risks, and discover what she's capable of. Where friendships grow and trusted adults show up for her.

A place where her voice isn't just welcomed. It's expected.

I've spent much of my career working with children and families, and one thing I know is that being heard matters. It builds trust. It creates safety. It helps us believe that we belong.

And every girl deserves that.

We cannot control every message girls receive from the world around them. But we can control the spaces we create, the way we respond when they speak, and whether we stand beside them when it matters.

Girls are watching. They're listening. And they're learning from how we treat one another.

Because the goal isn't simply to raise girls who are brave enough to speak.

It's to build a world that is willing to listen.