out & about

I do not know everyone in Philadelphia as I know Clara. However, that does not mean that you cannot view girlhood. Within ten minutes of wondering, girlhood will appear in all its forms. You can see girlhood in the streets, parks, and houses of Philadelphia.

Girlhood appears alone, in pairs, and in groups. It appears in both subtle and blatant forms. Within this chapter, you will see girlhood as it appears in the public, and the diversity that comes along with it.

April 16, 2023

A girl walks among the trees.

A girl plays along the fountain with her brother.

Two mothers feed their babies.

“We’ve been friends for about three years now, the three of us. Some of our favorite things to do together is walk around, go to the shopping district, or sit in the park and chat. We could talk forever. Being friends is all about loyalty, kindness, and sharing interests. Also, with girls, I think you could not see an old friend for a really long time and instantly connect because of how strong girl friendships are.” - Kate

“I think girls are much better at establishing friendships than boys our age. Girls mature faster but I think there is a unique culture among girls that cannot really be put into words. Compared to my brothers, I share so many more personal stories with my friends then he does with his friends that are boys. I wouldn’t want to live like that, I love that it is normalized for girls to share everything with each other.” - Snehal

"I'm Shanay and this is my daughter, Kayla. I'm twenty-eight and she just turned ten. I'm Philly born and raised except I lived in Ambler for one year. I hated it and came right back. I guess you can't get a Philly girl out of Philly! That's when I got this job working at Laura W. Waring School. Kayla and I have liked this job because we spend most of our afternoons in the park." - Shanay

"I'm Kayla. I'm nine... no, I'm ten! I love Disney and all the movies. I think Winnie the Pooh is so cute; I have him on my shirt. When it is really nice out, my mom and I put a blanket on the ground and watch the softball games. I love that I get to spend so much time with her because of her new job. I also love popsicles, drawing, and I have the best mom ever!" -

Kayla