A Parent-Powered Movement
A Parent-Powered Movement
Parents and carers are the driving force of this movement
Getting involved with your kids’ school - This is what MFS is all about - encouraging and supporting your child's primary school to get involved in challenging gender stereotypes and ensure all children can reach their full potential.
Not sure where to start? This quick visual quiz will help you discover how you can help create misogyny-free schools. For each question, note which colour answer feels most like you. Try not to overthink it — go with what feels natural.
STEP 1 — HOW DO YOU TEND TO START?
When you care about something, what do you usually do first?
🟢 I go and find out more
🟣 I talk to people I know
🔵 I share or spread the message
🟡 I speak to someone in charge
🟠 I create something (ideas, visuals, activities)
🔴 I think about how things could work better
⚪ I show it through my everyday actions
STEP 2 — WHO DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?
Note any people you already have some connection with:
🟣 Other parents/carers at school
🟡 Teachers / headteacher / school staff
🟡 PTA members
🟡 School governors
🔴 Local council or education contacts
🔵 Community groups / charities
🔵 Local newsletters / media pages
⚪ Mostly just my own immediate circle
STEP 3 — WHAT WOULD YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING? Select up to 3:
🟢 Learning more and sharing informally
🟣 Starting or joining a parent group
🔵 Sharing messages in WhatsApp school groups
🔵 Writing for a newsletter or blog
🟡 Speaking to a teacher or school leader
🟡 Organising a meeting or discussion
🟠 Creating posters / visuals / campaigns
🟠 Helping children with creative projects
🔴 Looking at school policies or data
🔴 Helping improve systems
⚪ Talking to children about stereotypes
STEP 4 — YOUR INFLUENCE STYLE
Pick the one that feels MOST like you:
🟢 I help people get started
🟣 I connect people together
🔵 I spread ideas
🟡 I speak to decision-makers
🟠 I create ideas and experiences
🔴 I improve systems and structures
⚪ I lead by example in everyday life
STEP 5 — FINAL CHECK
If you are at a party what do you usually do?
🟢 Speak with the new person alone in a corner
🟣 Introduce to each other all the people I know
🔵 Join a group talking intensely about something
🟡 Ask for a change of music because nobody is dancing
🟠 Start a group dance routine/chain
🔴 Check that everyone is comfortable and is having fun
⚪ Enjoy yourself as much as possible
What is your Misogyny-Free Schools Superpower? Take the quiz to find out!
✨ RESULTS ARE IN! Which colour did you pick the most:
Mostly🟢= STARTER You’re curious and ready to begin
Mostly🟣= CONNECTOR You bring people together and build community
Mostly🔵= AMPLIFIER You help ideas spread further
Mostly🟡= DOOR OPENER You open conversations with decision-makers
Mostly🟠= CREATIVE ALLY You bring ideas to life in engaging ways
Mostly🔴= CHANGE MAKER You help improve systems and fairness
Mostly⚪= EVERYDAY ROLE MODEL You show change through everyday actions
MIXED RESULTS?
Most people will have 2–3 strong symbols.
That means you’re a hybrid superpower, for example:
🟣 + 🔵 = Connector + Amplifier
🟡 + 🔴 = Door Opener + Change Maker
🟠 + ⚪ = Creative Ally + Role Model
👉 This is exactly what makes movements powerful.
Read about your superpower and what you could do!
Mostly ⚪ = EVERYDAY ROLE MODEL
“I challenge stereotypes in everyday life”
Your superpower: modelling change
You could:
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Talk to children about gender stereotypes
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Encourage girls and boys to try activities beyond traditional roles
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Share your experiences
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Model active support for equality
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Speak to pupils about your job if it challenges stereotypes
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Encourage inclusive behaviour in everyday school life
Mostly 🔴 = CHANGE MAKER
“I can help improve systems”
Your superpower: problem-solving + strategy
You help the school look at structures, not just individual actions.
You could:
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Support a school audit of:
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library books or curriculum representation
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sports participation
-
school policies & behaviour systems
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Review whether girls and boys have equal opportunities
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Help develop recommendations
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Support creating a whole-school action plan
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Use skills in:
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data
-
policy & governance
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research & education
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Mostly 🟠 = CREATIVE ALLY
“I bring ideas to life”
Your superpower: creativity
You help children and schools explore equality in engaging ways.
You could:
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Create posters, displays or artwork
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Support pupil campaigns
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Help children create a gender equality display
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Organise creative activities around stereotypes
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Review library books for representation and inclusion
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Suggest new books/resources
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Support events such as:
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International Women’s Day
-
equality-themed activities
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school fairs
-
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Use your creative skills (design, writing, photography, drama, etc.)
Mostly 🟡 = DOOR OPENER
“I can influence decisions”
Your superpower: access + influence
You help ideas reach people with decision-making power.
You could:
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Speak with a teacher, headteacher or safeguarding lead
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Meet with school governors/governing boards
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Speak with your PTA
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Contact your local council education team
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Ask the school about existing programmes where MFS could fit
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Encourage investment in:
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teacher training
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whole-school approaches
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pupil workshops
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external expertise
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Use your professional networks to open conversations
Mostly 🔵 = AMPLIFIER
“I can spread ideas”
Your superpower: communication
You help more people understand why this matters.
You could:
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Share MFS information in parent WhatsApp groups
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Write something for the school newsletter, website or blog
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Share information online or through community forums
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Contact local media/community newsletters
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Help create awareness campaigns
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Run a “Smashing Stereotypes” stall at a school fair
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Share stories of positive change
How else can i get involved?
Perhaps going directly to the school is not a good fit. You can also get involves in the following ways:
Learn more and support your kids at home
We have collated a few resources (below) provided by other organizations we hope will be useful for parents and carers both to expand your knowledge and get ideas for what you can do at home with your kids.
Contact your MP or other council members
Advocate to your local council to support and fund local schools work on this topic. Try reaching out to Departments concerned with safeguarding/violence reduction, education, and public health/wellbeing. Collect names for collective bargaining power!
Support UK Feminista's policy recommendations and write to your MP to support system change to prevent sexism and sexual harassment in schools and colleges.
Be part of our MFS community
The WhatsApp group is the cornerstone of the movement where we will build our community and share and learn from each other as we go. We are interested to hear from you - please share your questions, stories, ideas or suggestions with us.
🟣 = CONNECTOR
“I know people - I bring people together”
Your superpower: relationships and collaboration
You help turn individual interest into a community movement.
You could:
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Talk to other parents/carers and grow a parent network
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Create a parent discussion group
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Help design or run a parent survey
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Strengthen links between parents and the school
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Connect the school with:
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community organisations
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speakers
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service providers
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other schools doing similar work
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- Help organise a parent meeting or discussion session
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Help run community events
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Support civic participation activities
🟢 = STARTER
“I care - I’m ready to begin”
Your superpower: curiosity + getting started
You don’t need expertise. Your first step is learning, listening and finding others.
You could:
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Join the MFS parent community
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Learn more about misogyny, sexism, stereotypes and their impact on children
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Talk to one other parent/carer at your school about the issue
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Start a small group of interested parents/carers
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Find out what your school already does around equality, wellbeing, rights or inclusion
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Ask what opportunities already exist for parents to get involved
Resources:
- Let Toys Be Toys - Resources for parents
- Zero Tolerance - The default setting: What parents say about gender stereotyping in their children’s early years
- University of Kent - Gender Stereotypes Training
If you feel upset by these topics, or need support, advice or information, here are a few services with helplines you call, email or message to connect with experts.
- Emotional support & trauma help: Victim Support
- Mental health & crisis support: Samaritans (116 123), Shout (text SHOUT to 85258)
- Violence & abuse support: National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247), Rape Crisis Helpline (0808 500 2222)