Thanks to photographer Luke Tevebaugh (http://www.ltevebaugh.com/) for the photo.

Here’s the speech that 11 year old Matti Marsee, the star of our last meet, wrote for this year's Tropicana Speech Contest for her school (she is in the 5th grade).  Her father, Dan, sent it to me to share.

Why Can't Girls Be Strong?

By: Matti Marsee

Eat all your meat and you will grow up to be strong? Lift these weights and you will be strong? Do your push ups and you will be strong? Show your mama your muscles. These are things people tell boys all the time. But why are girls not told the same? Isn't being strong a good thing for all people?

I lift weights and love it. I love being strong and I'm a girl. I hear the things the boys at school say about me lifting weights. They think it's weird, but when they brag to their friends about lifting weights with their dad at home others think its cool. Why do they think people doing the same thing is weird for one and cool for the other? When I ask why, they say because you are a girl. Why can't girls be strong?

I love to dance, wear dresses, and play with my dolls, but I also love to lift heavy things. Some girls are afraid to play at PE because they worry what others think. These stereotypes need to end. This is hurting females at an early age and can lead to long term problems. Studies have proven that lifting weights has many healthy benefits. Some of these benefits are: it improves your ability to perform daily activities, improves bone density, helps reduce body fat, helps decrease the chance of injury, and helps improve your body image. None of these studies say that it only does that for boys. Everyone can benefit from lifting weights.

Girls are always concerned with the way they look. Everything from proper make-up and cool hairstyle, to the latest fashionable clothes. They always want to look the way others feel they should look. They often neglect their physical health. This can lead to eating disorders, sickness, or obesity. Could this change simply by encouraging young girls to participate in healthy activities, such as lifting weights, at a young age?

Personally, I don't care what people think. My parents have taught me to do the things I love and things that are good for me regardless of what others say or think. I know what I like and will keep doing it. But it would be nice to have others girls to workout with and share in my fun. People need to encourage girls to be the best they can be and that includes being strong.

It doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl, anybody can be strong if you are willing to work. And leave us alone that want to work.