Latest news with #BeyondEquality
The Guardian
25-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Boys aren't a lost cause. They just need mentors
As Sir Gareth Southgate has pointed out, boys today are let down by the empty promises of grifting influencers who sell them a vision of masculinity grounded in dominance, materialism and disdain for women (Editorial, 19 March). However, if we are to pull boys away from these figures, we need something meaningful to offer them instead. Often, boys end up susceptible to those voices because they are hurting. Like Jamie in the Netflix drama Adolescence, they are profoundly lonely, disconnected from their peers and families, searching for a place where they belong. Having delivered more than 5,000 workshops in secondary schools across England, we have heard gen Z boys express deeply felt worry about how they look and how their peers perceive them. Heterosexual boys are profoundly anxious about 'what girls want', relying on sexist 'rules' about what women like – rules that often have their roots in the misogynistic manosphere. Boys roll their eyes at girls who effusively big up their friends, but when we ask them how they support one another, there is an uncomfortable silence. Too often, they are told that it's shameful for men to care for each other. Boys need support to develop emotional literacy, media literacy and skills for healthy relationships – and that takes time, trust and expertise. Adults, including teachers, parents and carers, need help to know how to support boys. Boys aren't a ticking timebomb or a lost cause. They are children, growing up into men, who need and deserve our BaleSchools team coordinator, Beyond EqualityHolly GreenHead of quality, learning and impact, Beyond Equality I watched Sir Gareth Southgate's Richard Dimbleby lecture with mounting relief and respect. At last a 'real man' was telling us what we have needed to hear for decades – that success is not just about wealth and domination over others. It is about learning inner strength and resourcefulness. It is about feeling safe enough to be kind. It is about giving respect rather than demanding it. It is about being the best 'you' that you can be. Boys need a father figure, not necessarily a father. A father figure is someone who you can respect and who respects you, someone who doesn't preach or impose but who listens, who demonstrates and lives the right values. But in the absence of someone like that, boys will turn to someone who will give them a sense of security, however bogus. They are naturally frightened of what is happening inside them and around them. That need to feel a sense of security is paramount. Listening is vital. As the US author Stephen Covey once wrote: 'Seek first to understand, then to be understood.'Christopher HouseHertford Credit to Sir Gareth Southgate for highlighting the lack of mentors for young men today. The news that a group of Labour MPs are seeking to tackle the problem of toxic influencers is also welcome. As well as government support, we need to restore the practice of boys being guided into manhood by trusted men in their own community. Generations of men have now been without this. Organisations such as The ManKind Project and Abandofbrothers do amazing work that affirm positive masculinity. We need men of all ages everywhere to get involved so that we can learn how to be the elders that our boys so desperately need. Simon BubbLondon Do you have a photograph you'd like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers' best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.
The Independent
25-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Schools to run anti-misogyny classes for boys in bid to tackle toxic masculinity
Schoolchildren are set to be given lessons in how to counter misogyny and toxic masculinity amid the rise of influencers such as Andrew Tate. The Independent understands that health and sex education (RHSE) guidance for schools will be updated at the start the next academic year to add sections on supporting healthy relationships and to help schools target harmful narratives that are spread on social media. The guidance, which is still being updated, will also teach children at primary and secondary school how to navigate difficult emotions and have a focus tackling sexist content spread online. It comes as Sir Keir Starmer has expressed admiration for Stephen Graham 's Netflix series Adolescence about a teenage boy who is arrested for murdering a girl after being influenced by incel propaganda online. As well as watching it with his two teenagers at home, he has supported a campaign for it to be shown in schools. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has been under pressure to overturn the draft RHSE guidance, put forward when the Conservatives were in power, which included plans to ban sex education for children under the age of nine, as well as discussion of gender identity. The Independent has spoken to school leaders about the problems caused by harmful attitudes held by young men, with one headteacher warning parents not to brush their concerns about the growing influence of toxic masculinity under the carpet and to speak to people about it. Michael Sullivan, head teacher of Forest Hill School for boys in Lewisham, had a message for parents who might be concerned about their sons: 'Speak to your son, speak to his school, and don't try and brush it under the carpet. 'I think that's the worst thing you could do if you are concerned about something. 'Speak to the people who might be able to support you or your son or the person you're concerned about to change that and for us to make sure that these things are openly discussed in a healthy way.' Forest Hill School has worked with Beyond Equality, an education programme who run workshops on positive masculinity values, in response to the growing influence of Andrew Tate, the manosphere and toxic masculinity among teenage boys. 'As an all boys school, we have a duty to address the negative stereotypes that can sometimes be associated incorrectly with an all boys' education. 'We want to make sure that we were proactively addressing some of the issues that were coming out with the toxic masculinity agenda.' Mr Sullivan said that while he didn't feel his school had a 'particular issue' with toxic masculinity, the decision to work with Beyond Equality stemmed from wanting to 'address it in a proactive way while boys are with us in the school.' He isn't the only teacher who has expressed the importance of addressing this issue. Clive Hill, a teacher at Meden School, Nottinghamshire, told The Independent that the sector had noticed a rise in sexist behaviour. 'We've definitely seen a rise in the need to tackle those sorts of behaviours,' said the teacher, who got into education via TeachFirst. 'That's across several schools. It's across the sector when I talk to colleagues at conferences.' It became a personal issue for Mr Hill when his daughter, who attended a co-ed sixth form attached to an all boys school, was on the receiving end of misogyny with some 'students outright praising Andrew Tate'. Mr Hill said that part of the issue stems from within the school: 'We don't have enough role models in schools. We've got the issue with recruitment of where you need to be seen in the classroom for students to be able to relate to who they are.' The latest figures from the Department of Education saw that men now make up only a third of staff at secondary schools, down from nearly half 30 years ago. 'I think to start off with the narrative around what positive masculinity is has got to come from males,' Mr Hill said. 'It's got to come from male teachers.' He continued: 'The narrative that we need to portray to young men is that they are the solution, not the problem.' Adolescence has not only become a talking point in parliament, but in schools as well. Educator Will Adolphy, co-founder of M-Path, which goes into schools delivering masculinity programmes, has already noticed the impact of the show. 'I've already had teachers reference [it],' he said. 'I've said [to my whole team],guys, this is homework now because teachers are going to be referencing this. 'That TV show really shows just how important it is that we engage boys and men, otherwise we might lose them to isolation and, and the manosphere and violence, gender-based violence.' He added: 'We don't know what healthy masculinity really looks like yet culturally, like we don't see it much in our films and TV still. We don't see it much in our books or in our music.' Mr Adolphy knows firsthand the positive impact from teaching healthy masculinity. 'My approach is to go in there and I'm not a teacher, I'm not a member of staff. I'm one of you and I share my story', he said. 'I'm modelling vulnerability', he added. 'I'm not there to tell them how to live their lives.' He continued: 'I've found with that approach, sometimes you see the bravado drop. The educator sat down with Sir Keir and health secretary Wes Streeting last year where they discussed men's health strategy, discussing in particular what can be done to bring boys and men into the conversation alongside the effort for girls and women. 'Because it's going to benefit everyone', he said, adding that the moment filled him with optimism. 'I'm excited.'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
'Men and boys struggle with emotional literacy'
"There's a real sense of emotional illiteracy among men and boys and there are difficult emotions, difficult things that happen in life, but nobody teaches us how to process them." Ben Hurst, from the charity Beyond Equality which works with young men on tackling issues around violence against women and girls, and the topic of masculinity, has been speaking to Riz Lateef on her BBC Radio London programme on Friday. Their conversation followed the news of the sentencing of Hassan Sentamu, who repeatedly stabbed 15-year-old Elianne Andam outside a shopping centre in Croydon, south London, in September 2023. He was ordered to spend at least 23 years in prison for her murder. Ben believes there is a "real systemic issue" across the UK with how boys, and men, have been socialised to move through and experience the world. He said it is about addressing the "attitudes beneath the behaviour". The Old Bailey heard Sentamu had a history of aggression towards young people and girls. In her sentencing remarks, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said on Thursday, when he was aged 11, he harmed himself and, unprovoked, assaulted other children at school. She added: "While in foster care you used a knife to threaten a pupil who you thought was mocking you on a school trip. You threatened to stab another student with scissors. On another occasion you assaulted two female pupils at the school." The court also heard Sentamu had "not had the benefit of a settled and nurturing, childhood and family life". BBC iPlayer: The Big Cases - The Bus Stop Murder Ben told BBC Radio London: "My heart breaks for Elianne and the Andam family, that's a life that's been cut short, potential that's wasted that will never be seen. "There's also some kind of feeling there for Hassan, not in a sense of 'I wish that hadn't happened to him', because we want justice ultimately, but we know the statistics about prisons, which don't often lead to rehabilitation." "So the question remains, what happens to this young man who's done this thing and how do we move forward? Two wasted lives," he added. Ben believes there are real issues with how boys are able to process situations. He said: "They manifest in a range of different ways and lots of ways that are widely inappropriate - and you add that to the context of sexual harassment, sexual violence, gender-based violence, men's violence against women and girls, men's violence against men." The court heard the day before Sentamu killed Elianne, she and her group had teased him and thrown water over him in an attempt to get him to apologise to his ex-girlfriend. Jurors were told that later that day the teenager had told a friend he felt there had been disrespect shown to him by Elianne and her group. The court heard that Sentamu had called the friend and told him: "I can't let this slide." Elianne's cousin, Reverend Denzil Larbi, told BBC London: "We knew exactly what that meant," Rev Larbi told BBC London. "We knew it meant he's going to bring some sort of harm. "I honestly believe if it wasn't Elianne it would have been someone else, and so yeah, he was looking to bring some sort of revenge that day." In his victim impact statement, Rev Larbi told Sentamu he had committed "the most monstrous and evil act that is imaginable". He told BBC London he questioned whether more could have been done to prevent Elianne's murder. "What would have happened if maybe another male took him by the hand and maybe invested in him and mentored him? "Or if other organisations really took him by the reins and said: 'Yes, we recognise you're struggling here, we're here to listen'. "I really wonder if maybe my cousin would still be here." Croydon Council said there are no plans for a serious case review. Rev Larbi said Elianne's family hope to work with schools to talk to young people about the dangers of carrying a knife. "There are many Hassans just walking around Croydon. Young boys who are angry, young boys who are lost, young boys that want to be listened to. "But I do believe there are great people in our community, great organisations who are in place who can really help and support these young people." Outside court after the sentencing on Thursday, Pastor Mark Rossell, from New Life church in Croydon, issued a statement on behalf of the family. "Our daughter Elianne Andam was a vibrant, bright and loving innocent 15-year-old with her entire future ahead of her, until it was stolen in the most horrific way. "Brutally killed in broad daylight by a 17-year-old who showed no mercy." Mr Rossell said the justice system had "failed to reflect the sheer brutality" of Elianne's killing and that the Andam family were critical of Sentamu's minimum term, saying it had left them feeling "abandoned and unheard". He added: "We cannot accept such lenient sentences are appropriate for violent, calculated crimes like this. "The current legal framework does not deter young individuals from committing violent crimes, it does not provide sufficient accountability for those who commit the most heinous acts." Ben told BBC Radio London the work of Beyond Equality is "preventative", to have conversations with boys, and men of all ages, before these situations arise. Their aim is to try to address gender equality "through the lens of masculinity", with an approach that asks the questions, "what is masculinity, how does that feel, do we like it, would we change it if we could?" and to build a picture about stereotypes, norms and the expectations from there. Ben added: "It's an epidemic - it's not decreasing, we all need to find a role in this conversation." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to 'She was a miracle baby': Elianne had dreams of law career, aunt tells BBC Criminology student murdered woman on beach, court told Crossbow killer jailed for life for triple murders Girl begged killer to stop as he stabbed her
BBC News
14-03-2025
- BBC News
Elianne Andam: 'Sense of emotional illiteracy among men and boys'
"There's a real sense of emotional illiteracy among men and boys and there are difficult emotions, difficult things that happen in life, but nobody teaches us how to process them." Ben Hurst, from the charity Beyond Equality which works with young men on tackling issues around violence against women and girls, and the topic of masculinity, has been speaking to Riz Lateef on her BBC Radio London programme on conversation followed the news of the sentencing of Hassan Sentamu, who repeatedly stabbed 15-year-old Elianne Andam outside a shopping centre in Croydon, south London, in September was ordered to spend at least 23 years in prison for her believes there is a "real systemic issue" across the UK with how boys, and men, have been socialised to move through and experience the world. He said it is about addressing the "attitudes beneath the behaviour". The Old Bailey heard Sentamu had a history of aggression towards young people and her sentencing remarks, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said on Thursday, when he was aged 11, he harmed himself and, unprovoked, assaulted other children at school. She added: "While in foster care you used a knife to threaten a pupil who you thought was mocking you on a school trip. You threatened to stab another student with scissors. On another occasion you assaulted two female pupils at the school." The court also heard Sentamu had "not had the benefit of a settled and nurturing, childhood and family life". BBC iPlayer: The Big Cases - The Bus Stop Murder Ben told BBC Radio London: "My heart breaks for Elianne and the Andam family, that's a life that's been cut short, potential that's wasted that will never be seen. "There's also some kind of feeling there for Hassan, not in a sense of 'I wish that hadn't happened to him', because we want justice ultimately, but we know the statistics about prisons, which don't often lead to rehabilitation.""So the question remains, what happens to this young man who's done this thing and how do we move forward? Two wasted lives," he added. Ben believes there are real issues with how boys are able to process situations. He said: "They manifest in a range of different ways and lots of ways that are widely inappropriate - and you add that to the context of sexual harassment, sexual violence, gender-based violence, men's violence against women and girls, men's violence against men." The court heard the day before Sentamu killed Elianne, she and her group had teased him and thrown water over him in an attempt to get him to apologise to his were told that later that day the teenager had told a friend he felt there had been disrespect shown to him by Elianne and her court heard that Sentamu had called the friend and told him: "I can't let this slide."Elianne's cousin, Reverend Denzil Larbi, told BBC London: "We knew exactly what that meant," Rev Larbi told BBC London. "We knew it meant he's going to bring some sort of harm."I honestly believe if it wasn't Elianne it would have been someone else, and so yeah, he was looking to bring some sort of revenge that day." In his victim impact statement, Rev Larbi told Sentamu he had committed "the most monstrous and evil act that is imaginable".He told BBC London he questioned whether more could have been done to prevent Elianne's murder."What would have happened if maybe another male took him by the hand and maybe invested in him and mentored him?"Or if other organisations really took him by the reins and said: 'Yes, we recognise you're struggling here, we're here to listen'."I really wonder if maybe my cousin would still be here."Croydon Council said there are no plans for a serious case Larbi said Elianne's family hope to work with schools to talk to young people about the dangers of carrying a knife."There are many Hassans just walking around Croydon. Young boys who are angry, young boys who are lost, young boys that want to be listened to."But I do believe there are great people in our community, great organisations who are in place who can really help and support these young people." 'Violent, calculated crimes' Outside court after the sentencing on Thursday, Pastor Mark Rossell, from New Life church in Croydon, issued a statement on behalf of the family."Our daughter Elianne Andam was a vibrant, bright and loving innocent 15-year-old with her entire future ahead of her, until it was stolen in the most horrific way."Brutally killed in broad daylight by a 17-year-old who showed no mercy."Mr Rossell said the justice system had "failed to reflect the sheer brutality" of Elianne's killing and that the Andam family were critical of Sentamu's minimum term, saying it had left them feeling "abandoned and unheard".He added: "We cannot accept such lenient sentences are appropriate for violent, calculated crimes like this."The current legal framework does not deter young individuals from committing violent crimes, it does not provide sufficient accountability for those who commit the most heinous acts." Ben told BBC Radio London the work of Beyond Equality is "preventative", to have conversations with boys, and men of all ages, before these situations aim is to try to address gender equality "through the lens of masculinity", with an approach that asks the questions, "what is masculinity, how does that feel, do we like it, would we change it if we could?" and to build a picture about stereotypes, norms and the expectations from added: "It's an epidemic - it's not decreasing, we all need to find a role in this conversation."
