Primary school uses trans actor as positive example of masculinity
Streatham Wells School, in south-west London, said Elliott Page, the Canadian actor who medically transitioned with cross-sex hormones along with gender surgery and now identifies as a man, showed that masculinity 'can mean softness and strength'.
The school used the example of Page, along with the singer Harry Styles, to show children how men can be multi-dimensional Page, who starred in Juno, Inception and X-Men, publicly came out as gay in 2014 and as transgender in 2020, using the pronouns he/they.
In an article for the online newsletter Teachwire, Sarah Wordlaw, the head teacher, wrote about her school's efforts to tackle issues such as toxic masculinity and violence against women.
'We need to encourage empathy'
She wrote: 'It is important to teach pupils about harmful stereotypes about masculinity. However, if the first time we teach and name masculinity is calling it toxic, that could do more damage than good to our boys.
'It is extremely important to teach about positive masculinities. We need to encourage empathy, kindness, showing emotions, listening to alternative points of view and developing emotional literacy.
'Undoing the deeply ingrained gender stereotypes in our society takes time. It's certainly not a quick fix. We have seen a significant improvement in children's awareness of key issues surrounding gender equality. They know how to use their voice to advocate for others.
'To be a man is not to be simply one thing'
Ms Wordlaw added: 'Moving forward, we are going to continue to work on representation in our curriculum. This is not just representation of the amazing, strong women who have shaped global history, but also representation of positive masculinity.
'We need to show that to be a man is not to be simply one thing. To do so, we highlight well-known figures such as Harry Styles and Elliot Page. They show that masculinity can mean softness and strength, and everything in between.'
However, some educational professionals have suggested that holding up a trans man as a positive example of masculinity might undermine the intended message that biological men can be gentle and caring.
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