Understanding ‘Lad Culture’ and its effects in Higher Education

1. Understanding ‘Lad Culture’ and its effects in Higher Education Kelley Temple, NUS National Women’s Officer 7 February 2014

2. Lad Culture Research – Why? ‘Hidden Marks’, a report published by the NUS in 2011, shows that: 1 in 7 women surveyed has experienced a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student 68% haveexperienced some kind of verbal or non-verbal harassment in and around their institution More than 1 in 10 has been victim of a serious physical violence.

3. Lad Culture Research – Why? Worrying account from women on how ‘lad culture’ affects their lives and wellbeing Complex effects and aspects of this that needed to be better understood Important implications for the student movement as well as for institutions

4. What is Lad Culture? ‘Lad culture’ can be defined as a group or ‘pack’ mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption, and ‘banter’ which are often sexist, misogynist and homophobic. It is also thought to be a sexualised culture which involves the objectification of women and rape supportive attitudes, and occasionally spilled over into sexual harassment and violence.

5. Lad Culture and Masculinities Cultures—including ‘lad culture’—are not fixed. They form a set of behaviours that people—both men and women—can dip in and out of at different times Masculinity is not a fixed characteristic either, but ‘lad culture’ is clearly related to the concept of masculinity Despite being fluid and socially constructed, ‘lad culture’ and masculinity can still have very real impacts on students’ experiences

6. Gender and student identities ‘Lad culture’ is fundamentally about masculinity and gender Gender is one key factor in shaping women students’ experiences in HE, but it is not the only one Lad culture clearly also has implications for other facets of students’ identity including sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disability, and religion or belief

7. A result of unequal power relationships? Affects everyone, men and women, but women are more directly oppressed by it ‘Masculine’ model and behaviours as a results of unequal gender relationships and hierarchies A problem for NUS: democracy, equality, wellbeing and inclusion

8. Lad Culture and Campus culture Campus culture as social side of university—where is the space for other sides of campus life? High degree of overlap between ‘campus culture’ and lad culture  Students’ unions and universities have the power to influence campus culture