strength to strength

“It’s nice to try to teach other students about how they can tackle sexism themselves and also how to report it. We have been trying to educate others about misogyny, why it’s such an issue still and why the more casual comments that you wouldn’t think are worth reporting are. It is worth trying to do something about insensitive comments to make sure people know that they aren’t OK.”

Sexist language is logged on MyConcern, the school’s system for recording and managing safeguarding concerns. Misogyny, harassment and sexist comments are now all specific sections on the system, which was made more robust after the Everyone’s Invited website revealed the scale of sexist abuse and harassment in schools across the country.

Feminista’s leaders have worked hard to raise awareness of the club. Michaela says: “We have about 12 regulars and some new people, too, because of our assemblies and briefings. We have posters around school and it’s great when we see people go ‘oh look’ when they see the Feminista display board.”

Boys have so far stayed away, but Michaela and Dolly would like to see them become members. “It’s important to get boys involved in feminism as well because it will have so much more of an impact if everyone is fighting for the same thing,” says Dolly.

Involving male teachers would be a good first step, she thinks. “Boys might be more likely to listen if they realise it’s not only female teachers saying this is important. They might realise it’s for them as well.”

Michaela nods. “We want male teachers to be role models.”

That ambition may be realised now that St Laurence has started working with Mighty Girls, a charity funded by the Government to help schools tackle sexism and sexual harassment. At the first of five planned sessions, the charity’s project worker spoke to 14 students – all born female but a mix of girls and non-binary – about their experiences at school including how safe they feel. All pupils will be surveyed to find out if they have been affected by peer-on-peer abuse, which will help inform this positive relationships project.

Laura has also been engaging with parents to alert them to the dangers posed by the misogynist social media influencer Andrew Tate. Writing to parents in January, she informed them: “Staff will continue to consistently challenge any mention of his name and will challenge any student who shares the views of Andrew Tate.” n It’s Not OK: A toolkit for preventing sexism and sexual harassment in schools: neu.org.uk/ end-sexism-sexualharassment

The letter was helpful in challenging Tate’s following, say Michaela and Dolly.

“A lot of parents didn’t know about him, but I’ve heard that the letter has started a conversation. And people who maybe watched a few videos are now starting to realise Tate is an extremist,” says Dolly.

Meanwhile, Feminista has plenty lined up for this term. A series of articles, including a piece by a year 13 student exploring her experiences of everyday sexism, will be published in the school magazine, and year 12 theatre studies students have written a play inspired by feminist writer Laura Bates’ Everyday Sexism Project. With positivity and a sense of limitless possibility, the group powers on.