School uses Elliot Page as example of positive masculinity

A London school has made news by invoking the name of transgender actor Elliot Page as a positive example of masculinity.

Streatham Wells Primary School used Page as part of an effort to challenge toxic stereotypes and promote gender equality as part of its teaching materials.

Head teacher Sarah Wordlaw, the chairwoman of Lambeth Violence Against Women Girl forum and author of Time to Shake Up the Primary Curriculum, said Page showed that masculinity “can mean softness and strength”.

Schools watchdog Ofsted rated Streatham Wells “outstanding” after an inspection in January last year.

Pop star Harry Styles was also used to show pupils, aged between three and 11, that masculinity was multi-dimensional.

In an article for the education site Teachwire, Wordlaw wrote that she was leading the school in challenging toxic masculinity and promoting gender equality “to ensure that our children can be part of creating a safer and more equal world”.

She went on to say: “For any project to be successful, it has to lie deep within the fabric of the school’s vision. Our curriculum vision statement is simple: to be actively anti-racist, anti-homophobic, anti-sexist, anti-ableist, and to acknowledge intersectionality.

“It is important to teach pupils about harmful stereotypes about masculinity… however, if [we brand masculinity ‘toxic’ the first time we teach about it], that could do more damage than good to our boys.

‘We need to encourage empathy and kindness’

“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.”

Woodrow recognised that there were no quick fixes to the societal issues at play, but challenging gender stereotypes was a start. The school has already 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”, she added.

One way the school was continuing to progress in this field was the use of well-known figures such as Styles and The Umbrella Academy star Page.

“They show that masculinity can mean softness and strength, and everything in between,” Woodrow said. “We have also worked with organisations such as White Ribbon that help men tackle misogyny.”

These sorts of classes are reflective of Labour’s plan to tackle misogyny, that came in the wake of issues highlighted in hit Netflix show Adolescence.

Schools are being asked to counter toxic masculinity as part of the government’s relationships, health and sex education guidance.

‘We need to encourage empathy’

The guidance includes content to “support healthy relationships” in order to “enable schools to tackle harmful behaviour and ensure that misogyny is stamped out and not allowed to proliferate,” The Times reported.

Streatham Wells’ website outlined that its curriculum was “ambitious, progressive and knowledge-rich”, going on to say: “Our high-quality, evidence-based and age-appropriate teaching of PSHE personal, social and health education) helps pupils develop resilience, and to know how and when to ask for help.

“[PSHE] is at the core of what we do and enables our children to become independent, confident, healthy and responsible members of society, as well as developing intellectually, morally, socially and spiritually.”