On Thursday 5 November, we (virtually) welcomed author and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, Laura Bates, to MCS to speak to our pupils about gender equality as part of our PSHE programme.

Book cover Laura Bates Everyday Sexism Project

In her fascinating talk to our Third Form and Fifth Form pupils, Bates spoke about how sexism affects everyone – men and boys included – and how we all have a duty to challenge unhelpful gender stereotypes.

She also discussed how sexism can intersect with other types of discrimination around race, disability, and sexual orientation.

According to Bates, “the Everyday Sexism Project exists to catalogue instances of sexism experienced on a day to day basis. They might be serious or minor, outrageously offensive or so niggling and normalised that you don’t even feel able to protest.”

Pupils were keen to ask questions, and Bates answered queries around the low male uptake of mental health support, how we ought to tackle sexism on social media and where gender stereotypes came from in the first place.

Laura Bates is the author of several bestselling books, including Everyday Sexism, Misogynation, Girl Up and Men Who Hate Women, all available here.

Thank you, Laura, for sharing your insight and research with us.