GTG-34 | SPB 2016

Can you tell us what you would like other young people to take away from this story?

That one should not disregard people who are close. One should give attention to them, respect their time, value them without any privileges. Without paying your attention to one person, just because this person is your boyfriend and you’re supposed to give him all your life because you love him, and all your time, despite the fact that right now you want to be with your friend.

What did you enjoy about this project?

It is like you feel this atmosphere, and you can stand in someone’s shoes, someone whose story you are watching… And it is interesting, how another person shows emotions with video, pictures, and music.

Do you feel you contributed something to other young women?

I hope so… or maybe they just can laugh, and someone will realize that maybe such things are unpleasant not only for me, but also for other people.

GTG-33 | M's Story | NYC 2016

Can you tell us the main point of your story?

My story is in this context of a very religious community...where a lot of traditional, societal values or even current, societal values are heightened because it's so extreme… And then, what happens when a girl is growing older or is released into the world and has to define herself and figure out her own morals.

Do you feel you contributed something to other young women?

I hope I offered a story that people can connect with… It's nice to hear that there are themes that people connect to no matter what. But, I do hope that someone who has been through what I have finds solace in it, because it is an experience that feels really isolating, especially since I don't have any friends who have been through what I have… I just hope it reaches someone...even just one girl who was raised in a community like that and chose to leave.

GTG-15 | U’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? 

I am currently in a relationship and my boyfriend he wants me to be materialistic and I am not materialistic. I don’t like to get my nails done; sometimes I bite my nails. I don’t like to get my hair done; I like to go natural. He does not like it, and he looks at all these models and singers – they give society what they want society to look like, and I’m not going to walk around with a big butt.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

To be yourself, don’t let anybody change you... To be themselves no matter what relationship they are in, no matter who is in that relationship with you, just be yourself at all times. Don’t let nobody make you who you are.

GTG asked: Is this violence?

Yes it’s psychological violence it’s almost diminishing you, making you into something you are not – that you don’t want to be fixing you changing you, there is nothing wrong with you, you are perfect the way you are. 

GTG-14 | J’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? 

My story is basically about what pretty is – you know society kind of gives a self-definition and then next week it’s a different definition. Girls feel like they need, you know, to change how they look – got to do this, they got to do that, you know what society thinks is pretty.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

I want people to feel that everyone is pretty in their own way; you know it does not have to be... [trails off]. Everyone is beautiful.

GTG asked: Is this violence?

Yes violence is violence with words you know it doesn’t have to be physical it’s like verbal abuse. Some people you know especially girls between that age 18 years just growing up, you don’t really, you probably don’t find yourself yet, and any little thing can trigger you. You know, somebody calls you ugly and you just like, “Oh my gosh!” know I used to be like that in high school. 

GTG-13 | X’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? 

Bulimia is an addiction like drugs or alcohol... I became obsessed with losing weight. I never thought enough was enough. ...I never felt like “I’m enough”.  When I looked in the mirror I didn’t see myself as a 00. I saw myself like I’m still 150lbs when I was really 115lbs. [One night] when I saw tooth marks on my hand, when I was done throwing-up, I looked in the mirror and said, “What am I doing to myself why am I doing this?”... This was about violence toward myself, violence toward my body. If I continued to do it now I probably would not be here.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

God put you in this world to accomplish goals and help people and be happy. Not to hurt yourself or put yourself in danger or risk your life for something so little.

GTG-12 | T’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: Tell us a little about your story? What motivated you?

The main point of my story is don’t feel like you’re alone, cause there’s a lot of people out there that feel the same way I feel, as I told in my story. … Don’t make the mistake I did of letting someone tell you you’re different cause you start feeling insecure. I had a lot of topics [to talk about], but was like, wait I know there’s going to be that one topic people are going to feel part of cause I know there’s a lot of people out there that feel lonely or misplaced or whatever. So I wanted to do a story I thought everyone would feel part of.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

Don’t let anyone tell you about you, because it puts you in a state of mind you do not want to be in. [T later thoughtfully added] I hope I contributed [to other young women] confidence, because if I was brave enough to say my story, maybe someone else out there will say, “Oh wait, maybe I’m not the only one”.

GTG asked: Is this violence?

My story shows emotional and verbal violence cause the way I dress and still I was constantly told that it’s not normal you should not be that way. And I always hear that comment “Oh it’s a phase,” and it gets kind of annoying because being you is not a phase, it’s who you are.

GTG-11 | L’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? And, what would you like young women to take away?

There is a lot of teenagers and people that are undocumented and who have low self-esteem and you know … with guys for the wrong reason. So I think it will be like, “Hey I’m not alone there is somebody else out there that went through it.” And … better herself because of what she is been…

GTG asked: Is this violence?

I used my body to feel love or, I mean, it was not violence like you know like physical, but in a sense it was a physical violence too because I was using my body to make other people happy; … I was not loving myself.