Pippa L and Antara R (SVI) lead the Senior School’s feminist club PRETTI. On Monday, 8th September they spoke at assembly outlining the aims of the club. Here is a transcript of their speech:
Today, we would like to introduce you to our school’s feminist club PRETTI, a club that stands for People for Respect, Equality, Trust, Tolerance and Intersectionality. PRETTI aims to create a friendlier school environment and a wider supportive community where every single person feels safe, valued, and has the ability to thrive.
So, let’s break down and explore what each part of PRETTI means, and how it all connects to tackling misogyny in schools:
To truly respect is having the ability to recognise the dignity of every individual. A definition of respect in the Oxford Dictionary is “to have due regard for someone’s feelings, wishes or rights”. It means listening and acknowledging when others speak, it means valuing all our differences, and treating people fairly and equally, not as stereotypes. In the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, Article 37 states “that children deprived of their liberty must be treated with humanity and with respect for their inherent dignity, considering their age and ability“. In schools, this disrespect comes in many forms. For example, it can as simple as ignoring a teacher’s instruction to get on with some class work. It can also look like making fun of specific staff members and pupils, which allows you to be sucked into these specific stereotypes. To create a safer school environment, we should all respect each other and not let these stereotypes create a barrier in our community.
Equality is not only about treating everyone exactly the same, but about making sure everyone has the same opportunities to succeed. Misogyny is the inherent dislike or ingrained prejudice against women and girls that often shows up in schools, deriving from the Greek words “miso” and “gyne” meaning “hatred” and “women”. Misogyny is all around us. It can be as blatant as harassment, or as narrow as girls being interrupted more frequently in class discussions or discouraged from certain subjects or sports. True equality means getting rid of these barriers entirely, so that no one is restricted from pursuing passions or held back from achieving their goals because of gender.
Trust should be a staple part and at the centre of our school’s community. It means knowing that if you experience any discrimination and speak out about it your voice will always be heard. Girls should be believed if they speak out about misogynistic behaviours and their concerns won’t be dismissed as just “overreacting” to these events. Boys, too, need to trust that they can speak about the pressures they face without being mocked. In today’s society there is a rapidly growing culture of toxic masculinity that is increasingly dangerous and very harmful to younger boys. Building trust requires all of us to step up, show some responsibility and take action against this. If someone makes a sexist comment, don’t stay silent, speak up. If someone has enough trust in you to confide about something, listen without any judgement. Proper trust is created where everyone is supported and respected, not disregarded.
Tolerance is not just simply “putting up with” others. Tolerance is actively respecting all identities, experiences, and beliefs. Unfortunately, tolerance cannot happen if we push people down because of stereotypical views. Misogyny thrives where intolerance exists, where people refuse to accept that others may live, love, or express themselves differently. To practise tolerance in our school means ensuring that everyone, regardless of their gender identity or expression, has the freedom to authentically be themselves without having to live in fear of being judged or facing hostility.
Finally, intersectionality. Intersectionality is the understanding that people will experience prejudice in a variety of different ways. For example, a black woman may face both racism and sexism at the same time, which creates even more of a challenge. Intersectionality reminds us that feminism must include all women, regardless of race, sexuality, class, or ability.
As a Gold Rights Respecting School, we must ensure dignity is given to all within our school and community. Article 19 states “Children have the right to protection from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This includes both physical and mental harm, such as verbal abuse and intimidation, ensuring their mental state and safety are respected“. Sadly, this is all around us. It’s in the jokes and the teasing that people dismiss as banter. It’s in the actions that are dismissed as messing around. It’s in the assumptions that girls should be quieter and less ambitious about life or in pressure boys may feel to act tough or shield their emotions. You may or may not have experienced one of these apparent “harmful” things before, brushing them off as not important and non-impactful. But these attitudes influence everyone.
That is why we have PRETTI, we exist to confront and challenge these issues and aim to do something about it. We want to build a community where no one feels silenced, unsafe, or that gender will dictate their future. It is what we stand for. And that is what we invite you all to stand for too on a Thursday lunchtime in Room 13 at 13:15.
