During their break, the girls ran outside to play on a haystack near their home. National Geographic-contracted photographer Kitra Cahana happened to capture this joyful and sweet moment.
In a project focused on gender issues, the photographer spent an entire day with a group of mothers and daughters on a farm in Kentucky, participating in and documenting conversations within the family about female development. The mothers and daughters engaged in open, in-depth, and sincere discussions about changes in female physiology, such as menstruation and puberty. The girls in the photo were just beginning to understand the physical and emotional changes they were experiencing and were about to face. Yet, during their relaxation time after the conversation, they played freely, as though the heavy topic had no impact on their courage to face the future and societal pressures. As a female photographer, Kitra Cahana captured her blessings for these girls in this image, filled with pure joy.
Although, as viewers, we see only the girls jumping with youthful energy in the photo, the story behind the image—and the photographer's involvement in the project—encourages deeper reflection: If more young women could better understand and appreciate their own bodies in a clear and complete way, and grow up in a supportive, loving environment, they would undoubtedly develop a more active and respectful understanding of their gender identity.
