Victorians are being encouraged to defy outdated gender stereotypes in their relationships and communities in a new campaign from Respect Victoria (RV).
Launching its Respect Starts with a Conversation campaign, RV defined outdated gender stereotypes as ideas that men and women should be, act, work, play, and communicate in certain ways because of their gender, rather than looking at them as an individual person.
“These ideas can appear where we live, learn, work, see our friends, and in the media,” Respect Victoria said.
“When people carry these outdated assumptions and attitudes around gender, it can hold us all back and can be harmful and limiting to both women and men,” it said.
“When we uphold harmful gender stereotypes and dominant forms of masculinity, we’re less likely to challenge men’s violence against women.”
RV said the campaign, running across social media included resources to help people start conversations about gender stereotypes and featured videos of discussions between friends, a couple, and colleagues who had made the choice to pave a new path.
It said the discussions would prompt people to think about the stories that everyone grew up with about gender, and the ‘right’ way to be a man or a woman.
“Outdated gender stereotypes filter through our homes, families, relationships and communities, and put limits on us all,” the Agency said.
“They create a culture where gender inequality and violence against women thrive.”
RV’s campaign resources can be accessed at this PS News link.
