Stereotypes damage us all.

Gender stereotypes strike early. From the age of six, children associate traits like ‘intelligence’ with being a boy and ‘niceness’ with being a girl.

Gender stereotypes continue to damage children everywhere – and affect their whole life. Young men and boys who hold rigid beliefs about gender stereotypes are more likely to be perpetrators of violence against women and girls. We hear from girls who have low self-esteem and feel insecure, with one in five 14-year-old girls self-harming. This is heart-breaking and it cannot continue.

Unlimited Potential

Unlimited Potential - the final report of the Commission on Gender Stereotypes in Early Childhood sets out how gender expectations significantly limit our children, causing problems such as lower self-esteem in girls and poorer reading skills in boys. The report finds that stereotypes contribute towards the mental health crisis among children and young people, are at the root of girls’ problems with body image and eating disorders, higher male suicide rates and violence against women and girls.

Stereotyped assumptions also significantly limit career choices, contributing to the gender pay gap. The report also evidences that parents want to see change and sets out a number of practical solutions.

Read the report and view the full timeline - which sets out the stages at which children and infants encounter those stereotypes. 

Download the full report
Download the full press release

Download the timeline

Will you take action to stop this harm?

We asked our members and supporters to tell us how stereotypes in childhood had affected them.

What are we doing to #SmashStereotypes?

This year Fawcett has brought together experts from across sectors including education, parenting and the commercial world to establish, how as a society, we can end gender stereotyping.

The Commission is the first of its kind in the UK, and will also explore how gender stereotypes interact with other norms including race and class. It will gather evidence and promote practical solutions to challenge show why urgent action and collaboration is needed across society.

Over this year and 2020, we are going to produce research to challenge minds. We are going to share our insights with nurseries and schools. We will bring together a distinguished panel of professionals and campaigners to get the Government to finally act on this issue to change childhoods, change lives. Read more about Commission's work and research here.

Support our campaign today. Fawcett_high_street_audit_-_volunteers.docx

Our wins

• We’re starting a national conversation – our #SmashingStereotypes campaign has gained over 2.5 million impressions on social media
• We've set up the first Commission of its kind, bringing together experts across industries to build a consensus on tackling gender stereotypes together
• Our campaigns are grounded in evidence, we’ve published research on the whole picture impact of gender stereotypes and why we need to end them for good

 Will you help us change childhood and change lives?