Created on: 15 Dec 2025 | Last modified: 22 Jan 2026
Every young person deserves to be safe, to be themselves and to flourish. Unfortunately, their ability to do so can be negatively impacted by misogyny.
Misogynistic attitudes and behaviours are not new, but the influence of online spaces and algorithms are enabling a rapid spread of content that aims to perpetuate rigid gender stereotypes and justify harmful attitudes.
The consequences of misogyny can be far-reaching. Even casual jokes and comments enable a culture of permissibility for violence against women and girls and put pressure on men and boys to uphold restrictive ideas of what it means to be a man.
With rising violence and aggressive behaviours towards women teachers in schools, more and more girls feeling unsafe due to sexism, and boys and men under significant pressure to uphold misogynistic attitudes, a shift is urgently needed.
These topics can be difficult to talk about, and learners can feel vulnerable, embarrassed or even withdrawn if asked to share their own experiences or opinions. Educational approaches that use fictional characters can open up the space for discussion and exploring difficult topics and ideas, empowering learners to imagine how they might change the story.
From 2023 - 2024, Civic Digits ran two participatory theatre projects which culminated in two groups of young participants co-creating two plays - Many Good Men - that explored misogyny, mental health and masculinity.
The project was developed in partnership with IAMME, Stories Untold, Stellar Quines Theatre Company, and the generous support of Creative Scotland, Hearts of Midlothian FC, Zero Tolerance, YouthLink Scotland, Women’s Support Project, The Artist Wellbeing Company and Passion 4 Fusion and funded by Creative Scotland.
The project formed the basis of a joint report with Civic Digits and Zero Tolerance.
If you would like Civic Digits to run a participatory theatre project or workshop in your establishment, please get in touch. Civic Digits’ ‘Play in a Week’ process is available for booking.
Please email: contact@civicdigits.com
This education resource, developed in partnership with Civic Digits and EIS, offers educators the scripted stories of ‘Many Good Men’ as well as tools and plans that aim to open learners’ imagination and engage them in discussion about how they can change the trajectory of the characters in these stories, and ultimately, better understand and challenge misogyny.
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It is important that educators are equipped with the skills and tools necessary to navigate these topics within the classroom. Some staff may feel more confident delivering these activities after completing professional learning.
The Digital Discourse Initiative, developed by Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), offers an online course for teachers and school staff. It provides knowledge, strategies, and tools to address online hate and disinformation, covering:
The course includes specific case studies on Misogyny and the Manosphere (provided by Zero Tolerance) and Far-Right Extremism.
Completion of this professional learning is recommended to strengthen practice. The EIS supports the Digital Discourse Initiative and contributed to course development.
Teachers and school staff can complete the course for free via www.digitaldiscourse.scot. College staff can also access some of the resources on the website, while a more widely accessible course materials are in development.
