EDI Blogs

Sexism and ‘lad culture’

Studies show that a person’s attitude towards women is a strong indicator of their likelihood to perpetrate gender-based violence. In cultures where sexism is normalised, violence against women is more common, even if sexism in that space is casual or implicit.

The majority of female students interviewed by the NUS report that sexism and ‘lad culture’ has a noticeable – and detrimental – impact on their university experiences, in academic as well as social settings. 

Some female students reported verbal and physical harassment from male students on nights out. They also noted that sexist behaviour became more extreme and upsetting when it came from groups of male friends, such as sports teams.

Universities have been trying to tackle campus sexism and gender-based violence by addressing male students directly. Some universities have worked with a non-profit organisation called Beyond Equality to deliver ‘good lad’ workshops directly to all-male sports teams.

Beyond Equality provides ‘positive masculinity’ workshops that encourage male students to play an active role in changing sexist cultures. Feedback from Good Lad workshops indicates that participants developed a better understanding of why sexist behaviour is wrong after completing the programme and rated themselves as more likely to stand up for women in future. 

But as the information and norms young people are exposed to change, so does the kind of sexism female students encounter. This is why violence prevention techniques need to address everyone, regardless of their interests and outward behaviour.