No matter where you live, being a 15-year-old girl can be tough. For some girls, it's a fight for independence, the fight to be first in class, or even the fight to win a boy's heart.
For others, it's a fight to stay safe from deadly gang violence, the fight against being trapped in an early marriage, or the fight to play sports considered off limits for girls.
During the month of October, NPR Goats and Soda is on a mission to capture the collective experience of being 15 around the world through social media. This action is part of #15Girls, a series about girls who take risks, break rules and defy stereotypes to create a better life for themselves. The objective: Connect you, our audience, with these girls by sharing your own stories.
Read all the #15Girls stories here
We're asking you to post a photo of yourself as a teen, with the answer to this question: What was the hardest thing about being 15?
We welcome submissions from everyone. No answer is too big or too small — everyone has a story to tell.
Share your answers on Twitter or Instagram by tagging @NPR with the hashtag #15Girls. Make sure to include your name, location and current age, and if you're posting a group photo, tell us which person you are.
We'll profile our favorite submissions on NPR's Goats and Soda blog at the end of October.
To get your creative juices flowing, here are some examples from the U.S. and beyond:
What's the hardest thing about being 15? Staying true to yourself & having #SelfConfidence! #15girls pic.twitter.com/PWszBzQHOA
— Elissa Nadworny (@ElissaNadworny) October 6, 2015
Hardest thing at 15, for me, was contend with gender stereotype while coming at top of the class (pic) #15Girls @npr pic.twitter.com/ZRQbZr9Q6o
— Surkhab Peerzada (@SurkhabPeerzada) October 5, 2015
See all submissions to our #15Girls social media campaign here:
![](http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Share+Your+Story%3A+What+Was+The+Hardest+Thing+About+Being+15%3F&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDE1MTIxMDg0MDE0MDQ3NTY3MzkzMzY1NA001))
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad