GL DISSOLVING DIFFERENCES FOUNDATION
Why are we
trading self acceptance
for social acceptance?™
OUR WORLD TELLS US DAILY IN THOUSANDS OF WAYS THAT OUR VALUE AS HUMAN BEINGS IS LINKED TO OUR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
THE PROBLEM
GL Foundation research in 2003 and 2019 in Victorian schools showed that
96% of children don't like the way they look
THE IMPACT
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Children are experiencing stress, shame and anxiety about their appearance.
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When this happens they become vulnerable to bullying and exclusion.
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They start to believe that the way they look is more important than who they are.
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To survive in their world and fit in, they start to let go of the best parts of themselves .
Our Children start their young lives trading self acceptance for social acceptance
THE SOLUTION
knowing we are all deserving of being treated with kindness and respect
Our research showed that those students who liked the way they looked and embraced their differences (physical and behavioural), exhibited high levels of self belief.
These students experienced significantly less bullying, more inclusion and acceptance of their differences.
In 2003 the GL Foundation created the Dissolving Differences Education Program to support children in schools
we teach young people to know their value
that we are all deserving of being treated with kindness and respect
that our value is not defined by our physical characteristics, our age, our gender or our circumstances
and that we should never let any person, media or institution tell us otherwise
1 IN 2 GIRLS SAY THAT IDEALIZED BEAUTY CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS DAMAGING TO THEIR SELF ESTEEM.
In 2024 we extended the dissolving differences program
To teach our children how to manage their emotions and reduce their stress levels in as little as two minutes using the power of breath.
THE DISSOLVING DIFFERENCES PROGRAM IS ENDORSED BY MEDICAL & EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
Research revealed that watching just seven minutes of "beauty content" in one session on TikTok and Instagram is enough for young people to experience significant shame and anxiety about their appearance.
Griffith University, Sept 2022
We teach our young people to believe in their differences
to feel strong and centred in themselves &
to know the value they bring to the world
The Dissolving Differences Resilience Breathing program can be made available to children, teachers and parents in school communities everywhere...but we need your help
Help support our young people with real tools to change the way they see themselves in the world
our beauty as human beings has nothing to do with masculinity, femininity or physical perfection – it is about equality and celebrating the divine differences
we all bring to the world.
Dissolving Differences
Dr Gregory Landsman Podcast
WHY ARE WE TRADING SELF ACCEPTANCE FOR SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE?
