On university campuses across the country—and the world for that matter—the issue of male privilege, patriarchy, and women’s rights are most certainly on everyone’s lips. Yet, by that time, many bad behaviors associated with male privilege have already calcified in both young men and women. It’s already something to be unlearned.
Some primary schools in Australia, however, will be trying to head that all off at the pass by introducing the concept of male privilege to students early on. Starting next year, courses on “respectful relationships” will be landing in schools in the nation’s southeastern state of Victoria, complete with lessons on violence, harassment, and social inequality. As students graduate up threw to high school, the courses will evolve with time spent on “hegemonic masculinity”, and other more complex concepts.
While, naturally, there are critics out there slamming the program as anti-male “indoctrination”, those forwarding the curriculum seem to have the right idea. Said Education Minister James Merlino, “This is about teaching our kids to treat everyone with respect and dignity so we can start the cultural change we need in our society to end the scourge of family violence.” Sounds like a good first step to us.
For more on the program, read up here.