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18 Empowering Instagram Captions For International Day Of The Girl
International Day Of The Girl is October 11, and it's a great opportunity to post something on social media to inspire all the girls and women in your life. These 18 empowering Instagram captions for International Day Of The Girl will do just that: let all girls, young and old, know that you support them and are here to uplift them.
While it’s always fun to post a pic of your crew with a cute caption —and you still can! — International Day Of The Girl 2020 is about more than just #squadgoals. This year's day has a clear theme: “My voice, our equal future,” an opportunity for adolescent girls to reimagine a better world. As explained on the UNICEF website:
"As adolescent girls worldwide assert their power as change-makers, International Day of the Girl 2020 will focus on their demands to live free from gender-based violence, harmful practices, and HIV and AIDS, learn new skills towards the futures they choose, and lead as a generation of activists accelerating social change."
"We need to uphold the equal rights, voices and influence of girls in our families, communities and nations,” UN Secretary, General António Guterres said on the day’s official website. "Girls can be powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life."
So grab your gals and find your light, these 18 Instagram captions will help bring attention to International Day Of The Girl.
1“We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” — Beyoncé.
Bzzz, Queen Bey has spoken. If there's one thing I know, it's that people hang onto Beyonce's every word, so it's never a bad idea to quote her when trying to bring attention to a cause. Now who's ready to take the lead?
2"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." —Eleanor Roosevelt
Former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt was ahead of her time (and incidentally, she's the First Lady who served for the longest term, as Roosevelt was the only president to serve more than two terms.) She was an activist and diplomat, and politically-involved back in a time when women in politics were uncommon. I love how much meaning and power is packed into this short quip.
3"They'll tell you you're too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway." — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
We could all heed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' advice. She's currently the youngest woman in history to be elected to Congress (per CNBC), and she didn't get there by listening to people who told her she wasn't ready. #AOC.
4“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” — J.K. Rowling.
Giving girls permission to fail is one of the easiest ways to hand them the keys to success. As legend goes, the original Harry Potter manuscript was rejected by "loads of publishing houses" before Bloomsbury picked it up according to The Guardian. If J.K. Rowling can fail and go on to create a Hogwarts empire, so can you.
5“I feel like young girls are told that they have to be a princess and fragile. It’s bullsh*t. I identify much more with being a warrior — a fighter.” — Emma Watson
This is definitely what we should be telling our young girls. Emma Watson is known for being outspoken, and she's done it again with a powerful, strong message all girls should hear.
6"Don't be afraid to speak up for yourself. Keep fighting for your dreams!" —Gabby Douglas
Gabby Douglas is a gold medal-winning Olympic gymnast, so I trust that she knows a thing or two about perseverance and fighting for your dreams. The art of speaking up is essential, and while it sometimes (okay, often) feels uncomfortable, with practice it becomes the norm.
7“My hope for the future, not just in the music industry, but in every young girl I meet, is that they all realize their worth and ask for it.” — Taylor Swift.
I used to say I wasn't a Taylor Swift fan, but that was until I listened to her new song, You Need To Calm Down, oh, approximately three thousand times in a row. Say what you will about her music, but Swift's message is an important one: know your worth and don't accept less.
8"Girls should be strong together. Strong like steel, merry like the tinkling of chimes dancing in the wind." — Kristin Halbrook
Kristin Halbrook is the author of the young adult novel, Nobody But Us, which is filled with poetic gems like the one above. The quote is a solid reminder that when girls band together and lift each other up, they're unstoppable.
9"I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me..." — Christine Blasey Ford
It's painful to remember the testimony Christine Blasey Ford gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but it's important that we continue to celebrate her bravery and selflessness. One day, hopefully in the not too far future, the next generation of girls won't have to be as terrified as Blasey Ford was to speak up; that they won't have to be scared at all.
1010."He offered her the world. She said she had her own."— Unknown
This anonymous quote reminds girls everywhere that they can create their own fantasy world and they don't need to be swept away by a prince. What a gift it is to invite a partner to share in your world, to create a world together. This is the new fairy tale.
11"Won't you celebrate with me what I have shaped into a kind of life?" — Lucille Clifton
This quote is from Lucille Clifton's poem, Won't you celebrate with me? Clifton was the Poet Laureate of Maryland from 1979 to 1985 and her voice still manages to feel modern and timely. You can read the entire beautiful piece on Poetry Foundation, and maybe even include the entire thing as your caption.
12"We won't accept anything less than equal pay." — Megan Rapinoe.
You could use International Day Of The Girl to draw attention to the vast pay gap that still exists in 2019. Even more shockingly, studies show that mothers get paid less than non-mothers, a phenomenon known as "the motherhood penalty" per Harvard's Kennedy School. We can't stop fighting for equal pay until we have equal pay, and Rapinoe's quote will help your followers remember that there's still a need to keep pushing.
13“Be as pissed off as you want to be. Don’t hold back because you think it’s unladylike or some such nonsense. We shouldn’t be shamed out of our anger. We should be using it. Using it to make change in our own lives, and using it to make change in the lives around us.” — Jessica Valenti
So often, women and girls are told that anger will make them "unlikeable" and so they learn to hold it in, or to instead feel sad or anxious. But what if anger is a powerful tool for change? There is a lot to be pissed about, and this quote from feminist writer, Jessica Valenti, shows that teaching girls to use their anger for good can be a vital component in making a difference.
14“My coach said I ran like a girl. I said if he could run a little faster, he could too." — Mia Hamm
I'm typically not in favor of putting people down to uplift others, but come on. There's nothing wrong with "running like a girl" — and really, what is that supposed to mean, anyway?
15“The rocket doesn’t care if you’re a boy or a girl.” — Astronaut Nicole Stott
Engineer and retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott completed 5 missions in space during her career, so she knows a thing or two about literally shooting for the stars. By working hard and staying focused, there are no limits to what you can achieve.
16"I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity." — former first lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is such a powerful champion for girls around the world and their right to an education. She is a role model to all of us, and honestly, I could listen to her words of wisdom all day long.
17"To all the little girls watching... never doubt that you are valuable and powerful & deserving of every chance & opportunity in the world." — Hillary Clinton
Because of leaders like Hillary Clinton, little girls know that they too could possibly become President of the United States one day.
18"Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago," — Greta Thunberg
If there’s one example of the power of girls, then it’s gotta be 17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. She has singularly gotten the world’s attention on the subject of climate change, and that’s all because she didn’t let adults tell her that her voice didn’t matter. In a world that didn’t want to pay attention, she has persevered. And with the help of scientists, Greta is making huge strides in the fight against climate change.
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