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

2. 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)

3. 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)

4. "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)

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

6. 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

7. 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’?

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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

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

14. 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%

15. CURRENT RESEARCH Sexuality Response % Gay Lesbian Heterosexual13
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%

16. 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%

17. 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%

18. 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)

19. 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%

20. 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%

21. 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%

22. 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%

23. 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%

24. 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%

25. '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%

26. '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%

27. 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%

28. 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%

29. 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%

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

31. 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

32. THANKYOU Laura Kilby l.kilby@shu.ac.uk @Laurakilby2
Tria Moore
Will Reader
Simon Ashe @simon_ashe
Laura Wray