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Original poster

Telegraph: Highgate School tells pupils "Modern feminism is ‘racist’ and only focuses on ‘straight, white, middle-class women’"

112 replies

ResisterRex · 18/04/2022 17:32

It has emerged that Highgate School held a forum on anti-sexism, in which pupils were told:

  • feminism only focuses on white, middle-class women
  • to assess how privileged they are
  • that others are worse off - especially trans victims
  • that LGTBQ+ are more likely to be victims of child sexual abuse.

The forum was held to respond to the fact it was featured in Everyone's Invited. It seems that their response has been to ignore what was said about the school and what girls experienced, and tell them they’re not the real victims. Private school or not, parents decide where their kids go to school. Children don’t make those choices.

Anyone know where evidence is for the line about LGBTQ+ being more likely to be victims of CSA is from?

The school’s response was ill-informed, for example the “case by case” line which is wrong as per the EHRC guidance:

“We know that girls and women are disproportionately affected by sexual harassment and violence and LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience child sexual abuse and less likely to report sexual abuse than their peers.
“If or where tensions exist or are perceived to exist between two or more protected characteristics under the Equality Act (2010), we will do everything that we can - on a case-by-case basis - to ensure that safeguarding every child in our care remains at the heart of what we do here.
“We continue to follow our safeguarding procedures, offer support to all of our pupils, and be led by the guidance of the DfE, local authorities and the police, where applicable. We remain committed to working in close and transparent partnership with our pupils, their parents and carers, staff, and alumni.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/18/modern-feminism-racist-focuses-straight-white-middle-class-women//_

This whole thing has echoes of this thread:

The word 'woman' is misogynistic, racist and transphobic, apparently.
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4532660-The-word-woman-is-misogynistic-racist-and-transphobic-apparentlyy_

OP posts:
mateysmum · 19/04/2022 19:03

Yep. This is all part of an attempt to discredit those nasty feminists who are campaigning to keep women's rights. If you can discredit women's groups by labelling them as racist etc, then why would anyone listen to them when it comes to defending women's sex based rights. TRAs have seen that they have lost some ground in recent weeks and so are attacking from a different angle. It goes along with the whole funded by right wing religious groups claims.

LittleWhingingWoman · 19/04/2022 18:51

@goldernpie

Racism isn't as big a problem as the assault on women's rights that is happening every day now
I wouldn't agree with this, they are similar needs. I would also say disability and ageism need similar weighting. However in the context of the girls needs in that school, sure a balanced teaching about racism in all its forms (not just blaming white feminist women for it ffs) would be a good thing as a separate thing.

But the girls need conversations about how to keep themselves safe, how to support each other, how to come to terms with sexual abuse if they have experienced it, how to get help from trusted people, how to deal with difficult situations. How to watch for red flags in relationships. How to survive a sexual assault.

If they weren't talking about this and instead were being told to minimise their fears and their struggles then they are being let down.

Staffy1 · 19/04/2022 18:46

I can’t read the link without signing up. Don’t suppose it explains how they came to those conclusions that it only focuses on white, middle class women?

maltravers · 19/04/2022 14:24

Setting aside the unpleasant “what are you complaining about cis-het white girls” approach (which I deplore if it’s as reported) why is Highgate’s response to predatory male behaviour an optional meeting. I can’t imagine the predatory boys responsible for any offences lining up to attend. Surely this should be addressed during mandatory PSHE sessions..?

Original poster
ResisterRex · 19/04/2022 13:50

@ScreamingMeMe

Divide and conquer. It's all part of the plan isn't it?
Absolutely it's divide and conquer. Women are starting to do a bit too well in raising concerns, getting a bit too organised, having a bit too much impact.

So what happens? Incoming: false flags. Who cares if some raped and assaulted girls get cut off from help.

That's what's going on here.

OP posts:
Doubletoilandtrouble · 19/04/2022 13:48

Where does racism even come in this this?? It seems to be

a) “forget about feminists, they are racist anyway”.
b) “poor transpeople have it much worse than you so shut up girls”.

Why would anyone try to cut young girls off from the wisdom of older women Hmm . It seems to only be a wedge to separate us.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10730869/Modern-feminism-focuses-straight-white-middle-class-women-private-school-pupils-told.html

Lovelyricepudding · 19/04/2022 13:34

I am very uncomfortable with the thought that white, straight, middle class boys can identify as trans and suddenly be “the most oppressed”.

It is male privilege in action. Males must always be at the top - even by being the 'most oppressed'

Doubletoilandtrouble · 19/04/2022 13:28

I am very uncomfortable with the thought that white, straight, middle class boys can identify as trans and suddenly be “the most oppressed”. That is why I am wary of the intersections (but open to be persuaded). Racism is racism, sexual assault is sexual assault and indeed transphobia is transphobia.

In the school case below, it appears that rape and sexual assault was covered up due to trans identity. That is not right.

www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2021/october/va-judge-finds-transgender-teen-guilty-of-sexual-assault-in-loudoun-county-high-school-girls-bathroom-case

Villagewaspbyke · 19/04/2022 13:26

@OhSister interesting post

Villagewaspbyke · 19/04/2022 13:21

@PurgatoryOfPotholes you are entirely right. No one should be telling girls they are privileged in the context of sexual abuse. Or in the context of any other type of misogyny. “You don’t matter, others have it worse” is not the sort of thing we should ever tell our daughters.

Empressofthemundane · 19/04/2022 13:19

Who would send their daughter to Highgate?

Identity politics is so corrosive. It feeds everyone’s innate human narcissism. It’s not good for society or individuals.

EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 19/04/2022 13:13

You can't be serious.

I suspect it's not at all serious and material for screenshotting and sharing elsewhere.

if a girl identifies as trans that makes them a transman and TMAM so they will gain male privilege. It is not like…transwomen that not only are now oppressed as 'women' but worse…

Sheila Jeffreys' sex castes would agree with you. Ben GNC Centric is a lesbian and previously identified as transgender. In this interview with Benjamin Boyce, she highlights important issues (based on her experiences) within the community when the relevance of age, sex and their attendant power asymmetries are disregarded in a frankly disturbing way that recalls Sheila Jeffreys and her work on sex castes. (Middleaged transwomen led and spoke over them at 'youth gatherings' and told them to shut up and listen because transwomen are the apex of the oppression hierarchy, and teenage transboys are somehow at the bottom.)

'Coercion & Abuse in the Gender ID Community'
14 Mar 2019

Villagewaspbyke · 19/04/2022 13:12

Pretty ridiculous. Feminism is for all women as women. I am from a minority ethnic group and while there are some issues that particularly are relevant to women of that group, most feminist issues I have in common with all women.

In the UK feminism might well be mainly focused on the white women's issues but that’s to be expected as that reflects the majority of women in the uk.

There is nothing wrong with being a white middle aged woman and wanting to have equal rights. Women as a class easily are those facing the most discrimination and disadvantage.

Doubletoilandtrouble · 19/04/2022 13:04

It doesn’t has to divide us if we don’t let it. We women can be stronger than this. The only people who wins if we let us be divided are the racists and the abusers.

ScreamingMeMe · 19/04/2022 13:04

@goldernpie

Racism isn't as big a problem as the assault on women's rights that is happening every day now
You can't be serious.
ScreamingMeMe · 19/04/2022 13:02

Divide and conquer. It's all part of the plan isn't it?

Doubletoilandtrouble · 19/04/2022 12:56

I would definitely be onboard with discussions around how racism interconnects with sexual harassment LittleWhinging. My key concern is that they both are heard and taken seriously and that neither is used to excuse the other.

goldernpie, I respectfully completely disagree with your statement that racism is less important. It is a hugely important topic and from what I understand from the (black) dad of one of my son’s football team mates, it has a devastating impact.

I think both racism and sexual harassment needs to be fought, harshly. But on this specific thread I am worried about sexually abused girls. They also deserve to be heard, regardless of skin colour.

EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 19/04/2022 12:42

@goldernpie

Racism isn't as big a problem as the assault on women's rights that is happening every day now
Havers.

Both need attention and those who are vulnerable to both/either need support.

goldernpie · 19/04/2022 12:15

Racism isn't as big a problem as the assault on women's rights that is happening every day now

ChateauMargaux · 19/04/2022 12:05

Did anyone talk to the white males about racism, misogny and abuse of women.

Lovelyricepudding · 19/04/2022 11:41

But there's a way they can feel heard! They can identify into the most oppressed class of all, the T part of the rainbow!!! Magic days!

Close but not quite - if a girl identifies as trans that makes them a transman and TMAM so they will gain male privilege. It is not like poor oppressed transwomen that not only are now oppressed as 'women' but worse than that they are trans whereas females have their disgusting cis-privilege....

LittleWhingingWoman · 19/04/2022 11:25

@Doubletoilandtrouble

LittleWhinging, I completely agree that girls of all races should be protected from male sexual aggression. Sometimes it (based on my experience) feels shameful to even admit to being a victim. This is why I was so happy about Everyone Invited where girls could report this.

The way the newspaper seems to have framed it is that the speech was in response to these allegations. That is what made me upset.

I think that there should be separate conversations on race, sexual violence and class. I don’t think any of those should be used to explain away /justify horrific behaviour under another.

There's absolutely a place to discuss feminism and racism and how they connect. I'd also look at extending that conversation out to include other races who experience racism or it just becomes another conversation that excludes all the other people who also experience horrific racism.

From my experience as a survivor of multiple sexual assault, male sexual offenders are an equal opportunities group of men, they come from a diverse range of backgrounds and are happy to sexually abuse women of all races.

To hijack a conversation that is meant to be focusing on sexual harassment of young girls by simplistically demonising one type of feminism (because they won't be talking about all the different movements within feminism will they?) doesn't make a lot of sense.

Unless the goal is to silence young girls. But there's a way they can feel heard! They can identify into the most oppressed class of all, the T part of the rainbow!!! Magic days!

Doubletoilandtrouble · 19/04/2022 11:01

Or excuse. Sorry if I am unclear here.

Nobody should be subject to racism, sexual abuse or classism. We should come down like a ton of bricks on all of them. No excuses.

Doubletoilandtrouble · 19/04/2022 10:59

LittleWhinging, I completely agree that girls of all races should be protected from male sexual aggression. Sometimes it (based on my experience) feels shameful to even admit to being a victim. This is why I was so happy about Everyone Invited where girls could report this.

The way the newspaper seems to have framed it is that the speech was in response to these allegations. That is what made me upset.

I think that there should be separate conversations on race, sexual violence and class. I don’t think any of those should be used to explain away /justify horrific behaviour under another.

LittleWhingingWoman · 19/04/2022 10:36

As a woman of colour, my feminism includes women and girls.

Mostly girls because I have vulnerable daughters who have already been harassed and sexually bullied by the boys in the class. One of the worst perpetrators of sexual harassment to my mixed race daughter was from an Indian boy who is my cousins son.

Regardless of their colour, girls need protecting and empowered to be able to deal with the horrific misogyny that is now permeating everything in their lives.

Without seeing the full training/speech that was given the main issue that I see was that instead of being given space to discuss male sexual aggression towards young women of all races - they were instead given a history lesson in how some kinds of feminism have excluded black women.

How many children are in the school. How many are white, how many are black, how many are Asian or from other ethnic minorities who also experience racism? What was the goal of the talk, was it to talk about racism or was it to talk about male sexual violence towards young girls?

What was the actual need of the girls in that group listening?