Girls’ Self-Esteem

I am a third-year student at UC Irvine and I read with interest Bette Balliet’s letter (“Daughters at Work,” May 4). I understand Ms. Balliet’s anger at the exclusion of boys in the annual Take Our Daughters to Work Day.

As she states, we should value and include both girls and boys in our society and in our jobs.

However, I think Ms. Balliet misses the point when she remarks, that “young men and boys should not have to pay for actual or perceived past discrimination.”

The reason for creating this special day for young girls is not to atone for past discrimination.

This day was created as a reaction to the alarming drop in self-esteem young girls seem to experience in their early teens. For some reason, young boys do not experience the same drop in their self-esteem.

I just want to point out the importance of this program. Of course young boys are not meant to be excluded, but until reasons for the above-mentioned phenomenon can be found, this special day will continue to target young girls and teens.

BERNADETTE CHALA

Irvine