We’ve been talking about boys a lot this year, but have we been talking to them? What are boys in the UK really thinking about at the moment? What do they think about technology, gender, and their future? Who are they listening to and learning from?
Male Allies UK has travelled across Great Britain to find out what boys between 11 and 16 think, beyond the sensationalism and noise of Adolescence and the current research narratives of boys being lost and left behind.
The data and perspectives paint an interesting picture of concerns and challenges, alongside optimism and solutions.
Secondary school is a crucial age and playground for learning, questioning, and testing social norms and gendered stereotypes. Early intervention and education about gender equity is essential in tackling how these norms and stereotypes are ingrained—which happens from as early as 6 years old. This work is therefore essential to our mission of creating the equitable and inclusive workplaces of the future because these boys are soon to be joining our workforces.
The world is different now than when we were growing up, and with today’s climate—with reports of boys in crisis, misogyny rising, and pushbacks to diversity, equity, and inclusion—it’s important to listen to boys about what’s relevant to them today so we can best support them.