Student rites as student wrongs ‘Lad Culture’ and the Student Experience Student rites as student wrongs

Associated with misogynistic or objectifying attitudes towards women BACKGROUND 'Lad culture' identified as a widespread dominant form of masculinity affecting social spheres of university campus life, and to a differing extent, the classroom Associated with misogynistic or objectifying attitudes towards women Associated with ranging verbal and sexual harrassment and assault Many female students have reported their university experience being negatively affected by university 'lad culture’ (Clayton & Harris, 2008; NUS, 2010, 2013; Phipps, 2016; Phipps & Young 2014, Sanghani, 2014)

Hidden Marks 2010 Key Findings Women students reported experiences of a range of unwanted behaviour, ranging from ‘everyday’ verbal and non-verbal harassment, to serious episodes of stalking, physical and sexual assault. One in seven respondents experienced a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student. Over two thirds of respondents (68%) experienced some kind of verbal or non-verbal harassment in and around their institution. This kind of behaviour – which includes groping, flashing and unwanted sexual comments – almost ‘everyday’ for some women students The majority of perpetrators of stalking, sexual assault and physical violence were already known to the victim Men were the majority of perpetrators of stalking (89%) and physical violence (73%) Hidden Marks 2010 (NUS, 2010)

"That's what she said" 2012 Key findings • Ptpts report a clear link between 'campus culture' and 'lad culture’ A group or ‘pack’ mentality. Linked to activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption A sexualised culture which involves the objectification of women and rape supportive attitudes 'Banter’ is focal, which is often sexist, misogynist and homophobic 'Lad culture' seen as crossing class boundaries Women often participate or become 'complicit' in lad culture 'Lad culture' not monolithic, not all men participate, but it is dominant in university life (NUS, 2012)

Our PRIOR RESEARCH Final Year Projects (Psychology and Psych/Soc Students) Qualitative research – Interviews/ focus groups Data from 14 projects – over 80 participants

Our PRIOR RESEARCH 'Laddism' prevails in the mainstream social milieu occupied by our students Dealing with, often sexualised, verbal abuse and physical harassment are an all too common part of our student experience Both men and women students can become complicit in reproducing a culture which they find highly problematic

Two Major Themes GENDERED ACCOUNTING BANAL LADDISM EXAMPLE OF PRIOR WORK Two Major Themes GENDERED ACCOUNTING Hegemonic Masculinity: Lad as a (heterosexual) man in waiting Female Responsibilities: Girls just ought to know (and do) better BANAL LADDISM How do female students experience and make sense of ‘lad culture’?

Gendered Accounting Hegemonic Masculinity: 'Lad' as a (heterosexual) man in waiting Traditional notions of hegemonic masculinity Characteristics of 'lads' linked to physical strength and ability to 'protect' Traditional masculine traits sought out when looking for sexual and/or romantic relationship partners 'Lads' as 'high value' partners for heterosexual female students

Gendered Accounting Female Responsibilities: 'Girls' just ought to know (and do) better Assumptions and expectations about acceptable female norms and values Women holding themselves, and one another, to account for managing their own choices and behaviours- E.g. clothing as provocative Challenging 'laddish' behaviour as problematic and not something easily undertaken - risks to own heterosexual status Vocal feminist identity problematic , risks of social sanctions

Banal laddism 'Lad' culture as ubiquitous and largely mundane Ptpts worked to normalise and minimise misogynist and sexist attitudes, positioning it as their responsibility to recognise it as harmless fun Sexual harassment perceived as an undesired, but inevitable, part of socializing in clubs and bars 'Lads' often constructed as naïve or as lacking emotional intelligence. This was frequently positioned as a justification for 'laddish' behaviours

Where does responsibility lie for addressing this? Our PRIOR RESEARCH In Sum Largely unquestioned commitment to gendered norms and heteronormative sexual scripts encourage these young women to work with rather than challenge ‘laddish behavior’ However inadvertent - complicity may serve to reinforce lad culture in university life Where does responsibility lie for addressing this?

CURRENT RESEARCH Faculty Student Experience Project (Laura Kilby, Tria Moore, Will Reader, Simon Ashe, Laura Wray) Explore Student Experience of Lad Culture across D&S - Concern to include men’s voices (Male Steering group) - Concern to explore experience of BAME students

CURRENT RESEARCH Large Scale Survey Link to online anonymous survey sent to all u/g students in D&S 918 responses!!

CURRENT RESEARCH Gender Response % Female Male Transgender female 453 69.48% Male 188 28.83% Transgender female 1 0.15% Transgender male 3 0.46% Gender variant/non-conforming 6 0.92% Prefer not to say Total 652 100%

CURRENT RESEARCH Sexuality Response % Gay Lesbian Heterosexual 13 1.99% Lesbian 8 1.23% Heterosexual 536 82.21% Bisexual 71 10.89% Other (please specify) 15 2.30% Prefer not to say 9 1.38% Total 652 100%

CURRENT RESEARCH Ethnicity Response % White/ White British 588 90.18% Black/Black British 5 0.77% Asian/Asian British 32 4.91% Mixed 17 2.61% Other (please specify) 8 1.23% Prefer not to say 2 0.31% Total 652 100%

Social in bars/clubs in Sheffield CURRENT RESEARCH Social in bars/clubs in Sheffield Response % Most weeks 308 48.28% At least once a month 110 17.24% Occasionally 143 22.41% Never 77 12.07% Total 638 100%

Current Research Data currently being analysed but.. Male heterosexual students living in halls/ student accommodation (n= 111) Female heterosexual students living in halls/ student accommodation (n= 253)

Since coming to university, please indicate which of the following you have personally experienced? Overtly sexual conversations directed at you - i.e. asking about your sex life, which makes you feel uncomfortable 103 14.43% 30 17.86% Sexual comments about your body 151 21.15% 21 12.50% Unwelcome sexual advances - e.g. inappropriate touching, bumping, groping 175 24.51% 19 11.31% Verbal harassment - i.e. name calling or gender specific comments 91 12.75% 14 8.33% Group intimidation - i.e. where a group of students of the opposite sex harass you based on your gender 33 4.62% 3 1.79% Unacceptable 'laddish banter' (by this we mean overtly sexualised, stereotypical gender-based and/or aggressive humour) 129 18.07% 26 15.48% Other 7 .98% I have not experienced any of these 25 3.50% 52 30.95%

which of the following you have witnessed being directed at a fellow student? M Overtly sexual conversations - i.e. asking about their sex life, which might make them uncomfortable 127 15.45% 40 15.15% Sexual comments about their body 150 18.25% 48 18.18% Unwelcome sexual advances - i.e. inappropriate touching, bumping, groping 180 21.90% 45 17.05% Verbal harassment-i.e. name calling or gender specific comments 123 14.96% 38 14.39% Group intimidation - i.e. where a group of students of the opposite sex harass them based on their gender 59 7.18% 12 4.55% Unacceptable 'laddish banter' (by this we mean overtly sexualised, stereotypical gender-based and/or aggressive humour) 152 18.49% Other 5 .61% 3 1.14% I have not witnessed any of these 26 3.16% 30 11.36%

Hyper-masculine 'lad culture' is common in the wider social spheres of university life. E.g. bars, clubs F M Never 0.9% 2% Occasionally 19.91% 38.95% Regularly 39.82% 42.11% All the time 39.37% 16.84% Hyper-masculine 'lad culture' is common in university life within sports societies. F M Never 5.56% 4.49% Occasionally 23.61% 22.47% Regularly 36.11% 44.94% All the time 34.72% 28.09%

Men feel pressure to participate in hyper-masculine 'laddish' behaviour to fit in at university Strongly disagree 2 0.91% 12 12.63% Disagree 22 10% 27 28.42% Neither agree nor disagree 53 24.09% 21 22.11% Agree 111 50.45% 30 31.58% Strongly agree 32 14.55% 5 5.26%

It is difficult for men to challenge hyper-masculine 'laddish' behaviour when they witness other men behaving in this way F M Strongly disagree 2 0.93% 7 7.69% Disagree 26 12.15% 20 21.98% Neither agree nor disagree 27 12.62% 11 12.09% Agree 127 59.35% 41 45.05% Strongly agree 32 14.95% 12 13.19%

It is difficult for women to challenge hyper-masculine 'laddish' behaviour when they witness men behaving in this way. F M Strongly disagree 3 1.40% 9 9.89% Disagree 32 14.95% 8 8.79% Neither agree nor disagree 23 10.75% 11 12.09% Agree 103 48.13% 40 43.96% Strongly agree 53 24.77% 25.27%

'Laddish behaviour' causes women students to feel unsafe or intimidated Strongly disagree 1 0.4% 2 2.22% Disagree 16 7.48% 7 7.78% Neither agree nor disagree 38 17.76% 27 30.00% Agree 114 53.2% 43 47.78% Strongly agree 45 21.03% 11 12.22%

'Laddish behaviour' causes men students to feel unsafe or intimidated Strongly disagree 1 0.47% 9 9.89% Disagree 48 22.54% 20 21.98% Neither agree nor disagree 82 38.50% 27 29.67% Agree 73 34.27% 31 34.07% Strongly agree 4.23% 4 4.40%

When a man participates in 'Laddish' behaviour it is a good indication to others that he is heterosexual F M Strongly disagree 22 10.68% 13 14.29% Disagree 31 15.05% 18 19.78% Neither agree nor disagree 47 22.82% 24.18% Agree 91 44.17% 32 35.16% Strongly agree 15 7.28% 6 6.59%

When a woman appears at ease with 'laddish' behaviour it is a good indication to others that she is heterosexual F M Strongly disagree 28 13.59% 12 13.19% Disagree 59 28.64% 25 24.74% Neither agree nor disagree 86 41.75% 41 45.05% Agree 29 14.08% 10 10.99% Strongly agree 4 1.94% 3 3.30%

Sexual comments and unwelcome sexual advances by men towards women are treated more seriously if neither party have consumed alcohol F M Strongly disagree 1 0.49% Disagree 10 4.88% 7 7.69% Neither agree nor disagree 11 5.37% 10.99% Agree 97 47.32% 50 54.95% Strongly agree 86 41.95% 24 26.37%

NEXT STEPS Quant data analysis Large number of qualitative comments from survey respondents to analyse Focus group data collection ongoing Report and Recommendations

A final word A massive thank you to all of our students who completed the survey Recognition that many of our students raise concerns in the qual comments about the ideas/assumptions/ homogeneity implied by the notion of 'lad culture' These are concerns we share - we see 'lad culture' as complex, nuanced, and potentially divisive and problematic for all students This research hopes to explore all of this and seek to challenge how stereotypical ideas and practices of gendered behaviour impact on men and challenge how these ideas and practices impact on women

THANKYOU Laura Kilby l.kilby@shu.ac.uk @Laurakilby2 Tria Moore t.j.moore@shu.ac.uk Will Reader w.r.reader@shu.ac.uk Simon Ashe s.ashe@shu.ac.uk @simon_ashe Laura Wray l.wray@shu.ac.uk