A group of teenage girls from Oxfordshire has sparked a national conversation after launching a petition calling for school uniforms to be banned from pornographic content. The campaign, led by members of the Little Feminist Bookclub at The Cooper School in Bicester, argues that the use of school uniforms in pornography contributes to the sexualisation of children and young people. At first glance, some may see this as a niche issue. It is easy to dismiss it as something happening elsewhere, far removed from our workplaces and our daily lives. If you have a teenage girl in your family, you’ll know that we can’t dismiss this at all. But the reason this story matters is not simply because of what these young women are campaigning against. It is because of what they are campaigning for. They are asking for the right to feel safe.They are asking why an item of clothing associated with childhood, education and growing up can also be portrayed as a sexualised symbol. Perhaps most importantly, they are asking why something that makes so many girls uncomfortable is often treated as normal. The campaign was born from the experiences of the girls themselves. Speaking publicly, some described feeling uncomfortable travelling to and from school in uniform because of how they believed they might be perceived by others.Whether or not legislation ultimately changes, there is something powerful about hearing young people articulate a concern and then take action to address it.

Too often, conversations about women’s safety begin when women enter the workplace. Organisations invest in policies, awareness campaigns and inclusion programmes aimed at adults. These are important and necessary. Yet the experiences that shape confidence, self-worth and feelings of safety often begin much earlier. Research cited by the campaign points to a wider issue. A survey commissioned by Plan International found that many young women reported receiving unwanted sexual attention while wearing school uniform, with some experiencing this from a very young age.When we hear statistics like these, it challenges the idea that sexual harassment or objectification are problems that emerge in adulthood. Instead, they form part of a continuum of experiences that many girls encounter long before they enter higher education or the workforce.

For members of the Womens Utility Network, there may be familiar echoes here. If you aren’t already familiar with our #SpeakUp campaign, have a look WUN – #Speak Up Across the utilities sector, we spend considerable time discussing how to create environments where women can thrive, develop their careers and bring their whole selves to work. We talk about psychological safety, allyship, inclusion and respect. The Oxfordshire campaign reminds us that these conversations do not begin at the office door. They begin in schools, communities and homes. They begin when young people learn that their voices matter.I think the most inspiring aspect of this story is not the petition itself but the determination behind it. Rather than accepting their discomfort as an unfortunate fact of life, these young women decided to challenge it. They researched the issue, built a campaign, engaged the media and encouraged public debate. That is leadership. I sincerely hope that the entire Little Feminist Bookclub are all considering careers in Utilities. And it serves as a reminder that leadership is not defined by age, job title or position.  Sometimes it starts with asking a difficult question and refusing to stop asking until somebody listens.

Their petition https://lnkd.in/eGwHRYFM

WUN Advocate – Gill Edwards.