Sophie Grégoire Trudeau on empowerment and 'locker room talk' for International Day of the Girl
Grégoire Trudeau met with Toronto girls as part of #GirlsBelongHere initiative
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau met with girls in Toronto on Tuesday for a discussion about body image, equality and empowerment to mark the International Day of the Girl.
During a question on mainstream culture and media and how it affects girls and women, presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent comments about "locker room talk" came up.
"The comments that men say — locker room conversations — it's very heartbreaking," said one participant.
Trump used the expression "locker room talk" to explain sexist comments he made that were caught on tape in 2005.
"The toughest thing to change in a society is what is normal," responded Grégoire Trudeau.
"When there's a language of aggression and violence or rape culture, and we see it in super famous TV shows, all over the place, it becomes kind of normal," she said.
Grégoire Trudeau ended the conversation on an optimistic note, advising the girls to ignore negative messaging that comes their way
"The good news is we don't agree with that. And a lot of people don't agree with that as well," she said.
The girls were participants in International Plan Canada's #GirlsBelongHere campaign, which allowed girls to spend the day trying out the role of a Canadian leader.
Grégoire Trudeau opens TSX markets
While in Toronto, Grégoire Trudeau opened the markets at the Toronto Stock Exchange, also in honour of the International Day of the Girl.
Here's Sophie Grégoire Trudeau opening the markets at the TSX <a href="https://t.co/3Dz6kNAsTa">pic.twitter.com/3Dz6kNAsTa</a>
—@trevorjdunnTrudeau has been a vocal advocate for women's rights.
She is a global ambassador for Plan International Canada, as well as the official spokesperson of Fillactive, a foundation that provides opportunities for girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle.
The prime minister released a statement early Tuesday morning describing his government's efforts to invest in programs that will benefit girls and young women.
"On this day, Sophie and I encourage all Canadians to join us in supporting girls and young women to realize their dreams and achieve their full potential," it read.