Raising awareness of sexism among middle school students with the game "Moi C'est Madame"

Why raise awareness among middle school students about sexism?

Since March, we have been working in several 9th-grade classes in Marseille to raise awareness among middle school students about sexism. The young people were able to discover the game "Moi c'est Madame" and shared with us what they experience daily. Questions of gender identity, sexuality, and gender discrimination begin in middle school. Playing to discuss these topics with teenagers is a relevant and effective method.

Whether it's remarks about clothing, sexual orientation, or what a woman should or should not do – even if attitudes have evolved slightly – today's teenagers are not spared.

It was therefore important for us to intervene with them in a fun and educational way. First, we asked them what "sexism," "gender stereotype," etc., meant to them, and we noticed disparities among the students.

We realized that the issue of sexism sometimes remained a bit vague. Some could not grasp the sexist aspect of an attack, or perceive a remark as an "aggression"; sometimes, they even tended to minimize it ("I would take it as a compliment," responded a student to the attack "Wow, charming young lady! 20/20"; another student said, "Well, that's not mean," for the attack "Don't worry, I'm here to protect you").

Conversely, some of them are already very aware of this type of problem present in our society. Overall, students are in favor of freedom of speech and want to change attitudes regarding gender equality. Thanks to social media, in particular, students are increasingly able to inform themselves about these issues: feminist Instagram accounts (like Period Studio) or viral videos on TikTok (with "Sarah la crieuse," for example, who makes turkey noises to ward off men in the street).

@sarahlacrieuse #techniquepourfairefuirunhomme #harcelementderue ♬ son original - Sarah

Sexism awareness workshops in middle school

To get them started, we suggested they write down attacks they had experienced or observed. The goal was to then have them collectively and creatively reflect on various possible responses to destabilize sexist aggressors. Despite some initial hesitation, the students eventually got into the game, and discussion began to flow. Indeed, the aim of these interventions is to center young people's voices and allow them to exchange and share their feelings.

It is clear that teenagers are generally keen on games, and the playful nature of the intervention largely motivates them to get involved. One student even called the game "addictive." Indeed, "Moi c'est Madame" allows for addressing taboo subjects in a more relaxed way, and that's why it was well received. Moreover, the creation of a youth extension of the game aims to make it as close as possible to their reality and daily lives to have a real impact.

A youth-specific extension of the game "Moi c'est Madame"

"Moi c'est Madame" benignly sparked questions and debates among middle school students. Notably, around unknown terms (like "smear test" or "menstrual cup"), on expressing a retort (should one respond with violence/brutality/racism/fatphobia/sexism?), or around the lack of female representation in fields predominantly occupied by men (some found themselves stuck trying to name three female visual artists).

Finally, we also learned a lot from young people, particularly the new sexist expressions and references they know. Seeing their involvement and satisfaction at the end of the game motivates us to finalize the creation of the youth extension of the game "Moi c'est Madame," which would be a "co-construction" with 150 middle school students from all over France, something many teachers, educators, and supervisors are asking us for.

By the way, if you want to learn a bit more about the experience of specialized educators with young people, you can read our interview with Mélissandre (a specialized educator at EPDA in Cluses, Haute-Savoie) by clicking here.