For International Women’s Day (#BreakTheBias) on 8 March, we were invited to to give two workshops to pupils of Thames Valley Learning Partnership schools titled ‘Allyship: Moving from caring enough to discuss to caring enough to take action’. The workshops focussed on engaging boys, by helping them learn more about the experiences and realities of young women’s and girls’ lives and finding out more about what they think boys and young men could and should be doing.
On 9 March we delivered a workshop to a group of around 40 boys and young men aged 13-17 at a boarding school. The workshop focussed on the boys’ experiences and knowledge surrounding sexism and male violence against women and girls. Discussions covered topics such as catcalling, sexual harassment, the gender pay gap, respect and more.
Finally, on 10 March, we attended the Women in Power conference, organised by Storm and in the evening spoke to a group of boys who are involved in a feminist society about how they can do more to help raise awareness about male violence against women. The discussion was very fruitful – the enthusiasm and creativity the boys showed when brainstorming activities for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women specifically and throughout the year more generally was great to see.
