There are many ways to be a boy or a girl.
In the last two weeks WYRED participants have been working intensively on ways that lead out of gender stereotypes.
Breaking the dichotomies of being a woman or a man but offering new opportunities for all genders. They have made a very wide range of suggestions. On the basis of trustworthy data, for example from the European Institute for Gender Equality, they agree that initiatives must start very early to include gender-sensitivity in pedagogy, based on gender training for educators. Interestig initiatives such as the “living library“, events that facilitate communication with marginalised groups or the “she board“, which elegantly changes stereotypical views attributed to women, were presented. In particular, the media were intensively discussed in order to ban sexism or to reflect on the understanding of “toxic masculinity” in advertisements. The young people shared their favourite reports and favourite books with us and find collaboration between stakeholders, governmental organisations and business very important. To the view, of the participants in this fortnight several important steps already were taken to change the gender narratives, although much remains to be done.
We close this fortnight now and cordially invite all persons interested to take up this challenge at the WYRED Festival from October 22nd to 24th. Besides other topics, it is planned to work on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiatives and to discuss advantages to include the field arts in the discussions.
