Misogyny is increasing in schools, but it can be challenged without shutting conversations down, says Elanie Ademokun, former secondary teacher and now programmes director at Jigsaw Education Group.
Research recently carried out by the youth organisation, Girlguiding, highlighted that 1 in 10 (10%)girls aged 11 to 16 have missed school to avoid sexual harassment. This is a really worrying statistic, which throws into sharp focus the impact misogynistic behaviour can have on young people’s education.
During my 11 years teaching in both state and independent schools, misogyny was not really on our leadership radar. But things have changed rapidly over the last couple of years – misogyny in schools is growing and it’s impacting school cultures.
Now, any child with a smartphone could be exposed to the extreme views of online content creatorslike Harrison Sullivan (aka HSTikkyTokky), Sneako and Fresh & Fit host Myron Gaines. These influencers all featured in the recent Louis Theroux documentary, ‘Inside the Manosphere’ which examined the societal impact of misogyny and gender-based division.
The sad fact is children can stumble across misogynistic content simply by looking at football videos on YouTube and reading comments on TikTok or Instagram posts. It’s hard to know what they are seeing or prevent them from engaging with negative content online.
Children’s changing attitudes
Some teachers I speak to have noticed their pupils are increasingly becoming disrespectful. They say children are now more likely to question their authority, speak dismissively to them, and can show less respect for female teachers than they do to male staff. This can impact teachers’ confidence and wellbeing, ultimately, affecting retention and damaging the wider school culture.
Misogyny is not restricted to secondary schools either. More teachers are asking for training and resources to help them manage issues such as sexist language and behaviour from children as young as 8-years-old.
Social media algorithms actively aim to divide young people along gender lines. For example, boys are frequently targeted with extreme ‘alpha male’ ideology and other harmful stereotypes, whilst girlsare exposed to content about men being inherently dangerous.
So what can schools do to tackle this growing polarisation?
1. Raise awareness of misogyny early
We know that when teachers first start talking to young people about social media algorithms, theyrealise many have little knowledge of how they work. Children often believe their feed shows the most popular content, or what everyone else is watching, and many don’t understand just how personalised content can be. It can also be hard for teachers to know what content children are being exposed to, because adults’ experiences of algorithms are so different from those of their pupils.
Schools that teach children how the social media platforms work can start important discussions about misogyny and other harmful material. Most children are unaware that algorithms are designed to be manipulative and addictive. They tailor content to each user, drawing on core human psychology to promote it and keep users scrolling so they are exposed to more adverts.
UCL has produced a study that offers schools a great resource for classroom debate. The university created a number of fake young male TikTok profiles and found that after five days of typical use, the algorithm was presenting four times as many videos with misogynistic content compared to what those same accounts saw at the start. When students see the evidence of how quickly negative content can spread, they are often surprised.
It’s important for teachers to show young people how easily influencers can draw them in, simply by viewing their self-improvement, fitness or finance tips. This can gradually lead to content framing women as manipulative, inferior or responsible for men’s failures.
Once students understand the mechanics of algorithms, and the persuasive and commercial aims of influencers, they can become more critical consumers of online content.
2. Bust the myths around fake news and misinformation
Children are bombarded with fake news and misinformation online that can skew their view of the world around them. Teachers have told me of pupils talking about how women make false rape allegations, especially against footballers and other men in high-profile positions.
Rather than simply dismissing these comments, it’s an opportunity to discuss the issue and share evidence to counter beliefs like these during lessons. Figures released by the Home Office and Ministry of Justice suggest that only around 3% of rape allegations are found to be false, for example. Sharing facts in this way encourages students to consider why the online perception feels so different from the data. They’re more likely then to question online rhetoric.
Placing the focus on careers when discussing gender-based issues can also help young people develop realistic views of adulthood. I’m aware of schools that have asked parents to make videos talking about their own school journeys and career choices. They also speak candidly about struggles they have experienced in their own lives. This can be an effective way to shift attention away from celebrity culture and offer real-life role models children can aspire to.
3. Give staff the tools they need to counter negativity
Every teacher can play their part in tackling misogyny in schools with regular training and professional development to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. This will help them support your whole-school strategy to identify and challenge it.
Your staff will likely know what works best in their classrooms, but one supportive approach can beto get male staff involved in running assemblies and wellbeing sessions. This helps to change the perception that wellbeing is primarily a female concern. It will also help to get the message across to pupils that we are all responsible for preventing gender-based abuse and violence.
Students often respond well to mentoring programmes too. There will be some boys who react positively to adult mentors and others who engage more readily with older students or someone with an interest in sport and fitness. A good match between mentors and students supported by a consistent, structured mentoring programme, will help to reinforce positive attitudes and respect across the school.
Driving change
Schools can’t prevent or protect young people from everything they see online, but they can influence how pupils interpret and respond to it.
Success lies in building strong school cultures that offer young people an open, respectful environment where they feel listened to and valued. Within this, schools can also provide protected time and space for pupils to share and challenge negative attitudes towards women and girls, helping boys to thrive too.
