Campaign wants young girls to celebrate self confidence, self esteem

Be you Girl.

That’s the message Lawson Heights Mall is sending out to young girls at its photo booth.

Young ladies got to jump high in front of a backdrop Saturday that displayed #beyougirl.

“We need girls to be themselves,” said one of the jumpers Stephanie Mercredi. “We want them to feel good about how they look.”

Mercredi said even though the mainstream media puts stereotypes on girls, she’s always herself.

“Growing up as a girl is hard,” she said. “Everybody thinks you have to look a certain way, but it’s just nice to be you.”

The campaign is for young girls, but Marketing Director for Lawson Heights Mall, Megan Powell said the message for boys is the same.

“It’s just as important for boys to feel good,” she said. “We decided to focus on girls because of the statistics. It’s overwhelmingly girls who feel hard expectations on them.”

Powell said society throws out a lot of negative messaging to girls.

“We want to remind them that being yourself is the best way you can be,” she said. “That’s all that matters.”

Megan Powell from @LawsonHeights talking about the #beyougirl campaign @celebula #yxe pic.twitter.com/3q5gS7t6HI

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) August 27, 2016

The mall has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada and real estate company, Morguard.

Events will also be held at Centre Mall, visit http://www.beyougirl.ca for more information.

The campaign is being celebrated by malls across Canada.