Schools in Britain are set to give boys lessons on misogyny to tackle the growing influence of figures such as Andrew Tate.
Under the Government’s new relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) guidance, children starting in primary school will be encouraged to build skills that allow them to “express and understand boundaries, handle disappointment and pay attention to the needs and preferences of oneself and others.”
The guidance, which will be introduced before the end of the current academic year, will also see secondary school pupils exploring “communication and ethics within romantic and sexual relationships”.
This comes as Sir Keir Starmer revealed that he had watched Netflix’s new “Adolescence” series with his children, and was supportive of a campaign for it to be shown in schools.
The mini-series, which follows a family who’s 13-year-old son is accused of killing a female classmate, sparked new discussions on the impact of social media and misogynistic influencers on teenage boys.
The release of the series comes amid growing pressure on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to reverse the draft relationship and sex education guidelines proposed by the previous Conservative government.
These included proposals to ban sex education for children under nine and limit discussions on gender identity.
Although Labour’s new guidance is still in progress, it will likely include extra content to “support healthy relationships”, which “will enable schools to tackle harmful behaviour and ensure that misogyny is stamped out and not allowed to proliferate”, according to a source.
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The source added that older students will learn the “real-life complexities of romantic and sexual relationships”, including the “significance of power, vulnerability and how to manage difficult emotions that can relate to relationships — including disappointment or anger as well as the influence of online misogynistic content and the impact of pornography on sexual behaviour, including what some young people perceive as normal”.
Last week, the parents of a Southport knife attack survivor commended “Adolescence” for exploring the topic of misogynistic radicalisation.
Their daughter was stabbed over 30 times by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana in the attack last July.
In a statement read out by their local MP, the couple said that young boys needed protection from the “terrifying” impact of Andrew Tate.
Earlier this month, Cambridge crown court heard that crossbow murderer Kyle Clifford had viewed Tate’s videos before murdering his ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah and mother Carol.
Last year, guidance was given to teachers of pupils over the age of 14 to look out for signs of boys being drawn into aggressive misogyny that could lead to violence, suicide and sexual abuse.
Speaking in the BBC’s annual Richard Dimbleby lecture, former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate hit out at the “toxic” effects of social media on young boys.
He said many boys are now finding guidance online, adding: “These are callous, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose sole drive is for their own gain.”
“They willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, that strength means never showing emotion and that the world, including women, is against them.”
Find Out More...
Under the Government’s new relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) guidance, children starting in primary school will be encouraged to build skills that allow them to “express and understand boundaries, handle disappointment and pay attention to the needs and preferences of oneself and others.”
The guidance, which will be introduced before the end of the current academic year, will also see secondary school pupils exploring “communication and ethics within romantic and sexual relationships”.
This comes as Sir Keir Starmer revealed that he had watched Netflix’s new “Adolescence” series with his children, and was supportive of a campaign for it to be shown in schools.
The mini-series, which follows a family who’s 13-year-old son is accused of killing a female classmate, sparked new discussions on the impact of social media and misogynistic influencers on teenage boys.
The release of the series comes amid growing pressure on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to reverse the draft relationship and sex education guidelines proposed by the previous Conservative government.
These included proposals to ban sex education for children under nine and limit discussions on gender identity.
Although Labour’s new guidance is still in progress, it will likely include extra content to “support healthy relationships”, which “will enable schools to tackle harmful behaviour and ensure that misogyny is stamped out and not allowed to proliferate”, according to a source.
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The source added that older students will learn the “real-life complexities of romantic and sexual relationships”, including the “significance of power, vulnerability and how to manage difficult emotions that can relate to relationships — including disappointment or anger as well as the influence of online misogynistic content and the impact of pornography on sexual behaviour, including what some young people perceive as normal”.
Last week, the parents of a Southport knife attack survivor commended “Adolescence” for exploring the topic of misogynistic radicalisation.
Their daughter was stabbed over 30 times by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana in the attack last July.
In a statement read out by their local MP, the couple said that young boys needed protection from the “terrifying” impact of Andrew Tate.
Earlier this month, Cambridge crown court heard that crossbow murderer Kyle Clifford had viewed Tate’s videos before murdering his ex-girlfriend Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah and mother Carol.
Last year, guidance was given to teachers of pupils over the age of 14 to look out for signs of boys being drawn into aggressive misogyny that could lead to violence, suicide and sexual abuse.
Speaking in the BBC’s annual Richard Dimbleby lecture, former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate hit out at the “toxic” effects of social media on young boys.
He said many boys are now finding guidance online, adding: “These are callous, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose sole drive is for their own gain.”
“They willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, that strength means never showing emotion and that the world, including women, is against them.”
Find Out More...