Girls are caddy. Girls are mean. Girls are vicious. Girls are competitive. Girls have the potential to ruin one another’s lives. It is tough to be a girl. But two young women and Pepperdine alumnae, Lauren Parsekian and Molly Thompson, have dedicated their lives to take a stand against what they call girl-on-girl “crime.” The Kind Campaign, an internationally recognized movement, encourages girls to stop the competition, stop the cattiness, stop the hate and to be kind.
Kind Campaign’s documentary and school program are based upon the powerful belief in KINDness that brings awareness and healing to the negative and lasting effects of girl-on-girl “crime.” Since the movement’s 2009 launch, Parsekian and Thompson have gone on three national tours to spread awareness, held assemblies at hundreds of schools across the United States, been featured in the New York Times, appeared on Dr. Phil, had a theatrical release of their documentary “Finding Kind” at AMC Theatres in Los Angeles and New York and collaborated with Mattel’s Monster High line of fashion dolls.
The Kind Campaign defines girl on girl “crime” as physical fighting, name-calling, threats, power struggles, competition, manipulation, secrets, rumors and ostracizing other girls. Girl on girl “crime” is an issue that every single girl has experienced in their lifetime— whether they were the victim or the aggressor, according to the Campaign.
The movement provides an outlet for those who have been bullied and for the bullies themselves. Their truth, apology, pledge (T.A.P) sector allows girls to come forward on the campaign’s website and after school assemblies and apologize to the girls they have hurt. The girls can tell the truth about their experiences with girl-on-girl “crime,” apologize for hurting other girls and pledge to treat girls with kindness.
An anonymous girl recently wrote on the truth wall, “People think I’m the meanest girl in school. May be I am. But people judge me. They don’t know what I go through on a daily basis. My life sucks. People don’t know that. So I’m sorry if I’ve learned to take my aggression out of other people. If you walked a day in my shoes maybe you would understand. I’ll forgive you all for not understanding because you don’t know any better. You just see this black dot at your school who likes to act really tough. Well, I’m not so tough and I’m told that on a daily basis.”
Another girl responded to the anonymous post: “Dear anonymous, I remember middle school when you were ‘shunned’ from your ‘group’ and people at school talked about how bitchy you were and ugly and I went along with it even though I didn’t know you. Now I do and I feel terrible. I’m so sorry,” Chinna wrote on the apology wall.
Isabelle wrote, “I pledge to be kinder to people, think about people’s feeling and to stop female bullying.”
The reality and prevalence of girl-on-girl “crime” caught the attention of Lori Pantel, vice president for girls marketing at Matell, after hearing Parsekian and Thompson on a Ryan Seacrest radio show. Soon after, Mattel teamed up with the Kind Campaign to create a Monster High fashion line of dolls that features teenager’s experiences with various social trials and imperfections.
“We developed a relationship with Mattel — specifically the brand Monster High — and we went into their virtual world to bring the Kind Campaign message to their viewers,” Parsekian said. “They actually animated Molly and I into monsters which they call Monster High’s version of ourselves in a webisode that has reached millions of viewers.”
The collaboration with Mattel enabled the Kind Campaign to reach millions of viewers internationally and has helped Mattel add a positive message to the nation’s third best-selling doll.
The Kind Campaign’s new relationship with Mattel is crucial in their quest to combat girl-on-girl “crime.” Mattel agreed to sponsor events that include the webisode featuring Parsekian and Thompson, a screening of their documentary “Finding Kind” and a forum moderated by the two alumnae.
To kick-off October as anti-bullying month, Parsekian and Thompson embarked on their third annual tour. They said they are excited to touch the lives of thousands of girls and debut their Kind Campaign school curriculum, “Kind clubs,” created this past summer.
Kind clubs are designed to offer a safe place for girls to come together to create strong and healthy friendships. Parsekian and Thompson hope that by starting an open and honest dialogue about the reality of girl-on-girl “crime,” girls will be more likely to create change and inspire a more positive community.
“It is a way to continue the conversation after we leave to create a permanent presence within Kind Campaign at schools,” Parsekian said.
Parsekian estimates that they have been to over 300 schools and organizations thus far and hopes that through Kind clubs, the schools and organizations will continue to fight girl-on-girl “crime.”
“Neither of us expected to be where we are right now,” Parsekian said. “[The Kind Campaign] continues to grow and surprise us. Even our own ideas surprise us. Molly and I inspire each other and have just been along for the ride.”
