Over the Christmas holidays, Kate Parminter wrote for Politics Home about why she is trying to stop the Government from taking the study of feminism out of the A level Politics syllabus. They are also planning on only including one woman in the sixteen thinkers studied.

It is vital that young people have the opportunity to understand the political thinking and movements that have generated progress to date, and the ongoing barriers to women’s equality. Discussion at the sixth form level is a crucial part of achieving that.

This is facilitated in the current A Level Politics syllabus by the inclusion of feminism under ‘other ideologies that emerged either out of or in opposition to liberalism, socialism and conservatism’. Students are expected to know at least the key concepts of ‘sex and gender, gender equality, patriarchy, public/private divide and [gender] essentialism.’

In the proposed changes to the syllabus the Government will minimise the role women have played in British politics, international politics and the development of political philosophy. Moreover, they are reaffirming gender bias that treats men and their interests as the norm and women and their interests as optional extras.

She highlighted what the Lib Dems had done to advance gender equality and how the Tories are now moving backwards.

The Liberal Democrats as part of the Coalition Government reduced the gender pay gap and increased the number of women on boards. Removing the women’s rights movement and the political theory it produced within the A Level Politics curriculum does nothing to build on that record and move us towards greater gender equality in British society. Excluding women – both as key thinkers and political actors in their own right – sends the message that women do not and have not made significant achievements in politics and political thought. This move by the Tories will have the damaging consequence of slowing down the pipeline for future female politicians, campaigners and leading thinkers.

You can read the whole article here.

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