Wimbledon High School (girls' indie) headmistress 'you can't watch Love Island and be a feminist'

The authors of that study say themselves that more research is needed in order to answer the important question of, why? Concluding its because they’re single sex based on incomplete science, is foolhardy IMO. What if the primary reason is, those schools are better at caring and supporting girls? That’s a pretty important fact that may mean lots of girls at mixed schools do not get help. I’d also point out eating disorders are being looked at and researched with regards to the possible connection with autism, as many females on the spectrum have sensory sensitivity with taste and texture, which can and has led to misdiagnosis of eating disorders, when it’s actually a sensory sensitivity issue that should be treated in a very different way. Misdiagnosis is a huge problem for girls and women on the spectrum.

I am guessing that the answer to why is anorexia more common in girls’ schools isn’t because of Love Island! Such schools need to examine themselves honestly for the answer.

www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2016/apr/28/eating-disorders-are-more-common-in-some-schools-than-others-but-why

This article based on the same research questions the findings

[https://www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2016/apr/28/eating-disorders-are-more-common-in-some-schools-than-others-but-why article]]

But you could blame that on higher levels of university educated parents if you wanted to, rather than on the female environment

You can’t be the head of a girls’ independent school and be a feminist

Seriously? Some girls' schools seem to be very good at nurturing feminism and combatting sexism

I find it difficult to defend private schools despite sending my son to one other than I wouldn't want to live in the sort of society where one can't send one's child to a private school.

I don't know what Love Island is.

Here

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-04-21-school-affects-girls-chances-being-diagnosed-eating-disorder

Not true Margarineandbutter. Apparently a report showed that there was a correlation.

That’s just hearsay and conjecture, IME not true at all. I know plenty of children at mixed schools who suffer with these issues too, it’s got nothing to do with being at an all girls school.

Helena you’re living under a rock if you think it’s not also a problem for boys.

My daughter attends a girls school, it’s a state school. Also agree it’s not whoring!

Teens are under terrible scrutiny and trial by social media, the lessons the head proposes in reading newspapers to establish fact from fiction is a good idea, something I’ll look at with my own daughter.

I didn’t go to an all girl’s school but from what I hear about them they seem to have disproportionate issues with anorexia, self harm and poor mental health. These have been problems for years and can’t be blamed on Love Island Perhaps these schools should look inwardly before blaming tv programmes?

Not a fan of Independent Schools, but given the country is being royally screwed by men who went to them, I'm not going to object to there being girls' Schools. I agree that she was impressive on C4 news - would be interesting for someone in her kind of role, with that kind of awareness to have more of a platform. (Along with similarly vocal and clear state School heads.)

" There is also a lot of pressure on boys and their looks"

i dont agree ......................not until men are mocked for showing hairy legs in public. And told that this hair is dirty.

Yes I saw her on the news and she was very good and justified what she had said

She was just on channel 4 news, and impressive. Especially defending the existence and history of girls' schools in this country.
And the heroines who fought for their establishment.

Nethuns is that way ---->

Swearing again. Boring

I don’t agree they are whoring themselves What exactly does that mean? Does any person who promotes their looks ‘whore’ themselves? Are models whores? Actors?

@HopeClearwater why? I went to WHS and there was an excellent ethos of promoting we could achieve anything we wanted to achieve and to never limit ourselves because of the views others might put upon us.

Seriously? Some girls' schools seem to be very good at nurturing feminism and combatting sexism

Only if you can afford to go there though... it’s still promoting inequality in society. Just a different kind of inequality based on money rather than sex.

I understand where she is coming from but also believe it also focuses on the looks and images of both the men and the woman on the show. There is also a lot of pressure on boys and their looks.

I agree with the head’s comments and the intention behind it. It’s good to hear a counter-message and I found this past summer’s obsession with Love Island a bit odd and regressive. I realise many people watched it to be ‘ironic’ but that’s also horrible as it’s basically mocking the women. The Love Island women seemed so sad, vulnerable and insecure to me, unable to embrace their natural appearance and so resorting to surgery to look like an exaggerated form of a normal women. The show seemed to celebrate ignorance and superficiality. They were the opposite of what I’d like my daughter to be, which is confident, strong, empowered, discerning and wise. It depressed me so much that I couldn’t watch more than a few eposides.