Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign exists for one simple reason: to help more women feel confident enough to get active, whatever their shape, size, ability or fitness level. Since it began, the campaign has built a reputation for being refreshingly honest about what real exercise looks like — sweaty, jiggly, imperfect, and worth doing anyway.
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Sport England’s research found that women are consistently less active than men, and that many women feel they aren’t represented realistically or diversely enough in media and advertising around sport and fitness. ‘This Girl Can’ was built to challenge that directly.
Following the original ‘This Girl Can – Me Again’ campaign, a follow-up phase called ‘Me Again, Again’ brought more real stories from real women exercising in ways that fit their actual lives — not a highlight reel.
You may also enjoy: 10 Ways To Become a More Active Family
Why ‘This Girl Can’ Matters
Women’s Attitudes to Sport and Exercise
Sport England’s research into women’s attitudes towards sport and exercise found:
- 40% of women aged 16 and over are not active enough to get the full health benefits of sport and physical activity (compared to 35% of men)
- 75% of women say they want to do more sport or exercise, but fear of judgement holds them back
- 63% of women who see slim, toned bodies on social media say this has a negative impact on them
- Nearly a quarter (24%) of women who follow fitness influencers say it makes them feel bad about themselves, while less than a fifth (18%) find fitness influencers relatable
The encouraging part of the research is that women have shown a genuine appetite to get moving, finding new ways to fit activity into busy, unpredictable lives — and placing real value on the mental health benefits it brings.
About This Girl Can
Launched in 2015, ‘This Girl Can’ has worked to close the gender gap in sport and exercise and to help build women’s confidence around being active.
Later phases of the campaign celebrated the inventive ways women kept active despite disrupted routines, featuring both new faces and women from the original campaign. Katy, who founded ‘Blaze Trails’, a community of walking parents and children, and Aneesa, a mother of two who took up HIIT and dance sessions from home, are two of the real stories the campaign has shared.
‘This Girl Can’ is built on the idea that there’s no single right way to get active — and it encourages women to move in whatever way works for them, no matter what life throws at them. It’s okay to do what you want, when you want.
A More Realistic and Diverse Picture of Women in Sport
The campaign continues to call on influencers, media and brands to show more realistic and diverse imagery of women in sport and physical activity. At its heart, ‘This Girl Can’ is about helping women feel confident enough to overcome those fears and get going.
What stands out about the campaign’s advertising is how honestly it reflects women’s actual lives — using exercise to manage period symptoms, fitting in a workout around motherhood, or simply moving in a body that doesn’t look like the ones typically shown in fitness marketing. It celebrates women of every shape, size, ability and background.
Looking to get started yourself? Why not try our MyKidsTime 21 Day Health and Fitness Challenge?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ‘This Girl Can’?
‘This Girl Can’ is a Sport England campaign, launched in 2015, designed to inspire more women to be physically active by showing realistic, diverse images of women exercising — regardless of shape, size, ability or fitness level.
Why was the campaign created?
It was created because research showed women are less active than men and often feel put off exercising by fear of judgement or by unrealistic, narrow portrayals of fitness in media and on social media.
Do I need to be fit or confident to get involved?
No. The whole message of ‘This Girl Can’ is that you don’t need to look a certain way or be a certain fitness level to take part — the campaign is built around real women, at every stage and ability.
How can I get started if I want to be more active?
Start with whatever fits your life and your interests, whether that’s walking with friends, an online class, or a short home workout. Our 21 Day Health and Fitness Challenge is a gentle way to build a habit.
Related Articles
- This Girl Can – Me Again: Celebrating Getting Sweaty and Being Jiggly
- 10 Easy Ways to Become a More Active Family
- Join Our 21 Day Health and Fitness Challenge
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