Why do we still need all-girls schools and feminism?

In my role as Principal of an all-girls school, I am often asked why we need specific girls-only schools. I am also asked whether there is still a need for feminism. Afterall, hasn't equality been achieved? Don't girls already get the same opportunities as boys?

Well...

I ask you to cast your mind to a few things in the news recently.

You may have heard that one woman per week is still being killed by an intimate partner in this country. Imagine if there was one shark or crocodile attach per week and what the response would be then.

You may have heard that a certain President ignored the achievements of a Gold Medal winning hockey team at the Winter Olympics, and then made fun of them, just for kicks. Imagine working for years to compete at the highest level in your chosen sport and only to be dismissed with sexist jokes that diminish your incredible achievement.

You may have heard that a bunch of very powerful men took part in the trafficking of underage girls over several decades. And yet, they have still not been brought to justice. Each victim was somebody's daughter, sister, friend.

And finally, you may have heard that a young Swedish football player named Smilla Holmberg was recruited to Arsenal in the English Women's Premier League. Yet, what should have been a day of joy turned into horror as her image was mainipulated using AI to degrade and humiliate her.

These things are not happening in faraway countries and cultures we don't understand. These things are happening in the rich, western hemisphere. In Australia, The United States, and The United Kingdom.

We have schools like ours so young women can find their voices and learn to speak clearly.

We have feminism because there is still so much work to do.

When one woman suffers, we all suffer. When one woman succeeds, we all succeed.

Dr Maria Haggett, Educator, Principal

‍

‍