In the previous release of OoSG articles, it was explored how influences from within the manosphere, like Andrew Tate, are shaping young men’s identities and their relationships with others, including both women and other men. In this article, we will focus on how female teachers are impacted when exposed to misogyny from their students and how inadequate responses from school leadership can exacerbate this harm.

Over the past couple of decades, significant progress has been made in the Western world to recognise the harm construed towards females in areas where sexism and sexual harassment were running rampant. Online movements are widespread, the most notable being the #metoo movement, which saw justice and recognition for those who were victim to such behaviours and abuse, while also holding abusers accountable.

Yet, despite this, it seemingly had not much of an impact within the school environment where issues of misogyny have been faced by female teachers across history. While schools do help shape ideas about masculinity, students also bring attitudes formed online into the classroom. Misogynistic attitudes influenced by online content such as the content and messages of Andrew Tate or Sneako, to name a few, further contribute to an enhanced culture of male supremacy at our schools.

As explored previously, the learnt behaviours of young men influenced by the manosphere can manifest in many forms, some of which include comments and actions that sexualise, sexist comments, degrading behaviour, and verbal abuse that may challenge authority. This is inclusive of the barks and moans towards teachers that are quite frequent to this day.

Such responses leave female teachers vulnerable and contribute to a culture of male superiority, where the idea of ‘boys will be boys’ is prevalent, often excusing or normalising inappropriate behaviour, allowing harassment to go unaddressed. The reported impacts of these behaviours towards female teachers involve psychological harm, fear, humiliation, as well as a reduced perception of their self-worth and in some cases can lead to resignation.

How school leadership responds to sexual harassment or sexism shown by students towards female staff, can also play an important role in either reinforcing or challenging misogyny within a school environment. Where management strategies are more restorative than disciplinary to the student, it is considered to be much less effective given that it is not appropriately taking into account the seriousness of the matter and does not address the misogynistic attitudes displayed.

There is of course the issue of playing it down as more so of a disciplinary issue rather than recognising the behaviour as a form of misogyny, sexual harassment, or sexism, which in turn, also has the potential to minimise its seriousness. A failure to identify the behaviour and respond appropriately can leave female teachers exposed to these concerns feeling unsupported.

Female teachers may also frequently encounter poor support from colleagues, particularly men, who may be dismissive of their concerns or provide excuses for such behaviour. Some male perspectives view it as a failure on behalf of the female teacher to appropriately enact behaviour management, further creating divide for female teachers.

Addressing these concerns requires ongoing and proactive responses, inclusive of the encouragement of open non-judgemental conversation where staff can disclose their experiences as well as freely discuss the influence of the manosphere on their students. Responses to behaviour should take into account, and be proportionate to, the impact it is having on the teacher exposed to that behaviour.

Resources:

• Full article: Institutional responses to sexual harassment and misogyny towards women teachers from boys in Australian schools in the post-#metoo era
• Full article: The problem of anti-feminist ‘manfluencer’ Andrew Tate in Australian schools: women teachers’ experiences of resurgent male supremacy