Researcher Stepahnie Wescott from Monash University in Melbourne speaks of a crisis in education. According to her research, a quarter of Australian school-aged boys see Tate as a role model, for example because of his work ethic, wealth, self-confidence and defense of traditional gender relations. The boys find his opinion, norms and values recognizable according to the research.
Women are leaving education
The fact that a quarter of male students are influenced by Tate has far-reaching consequences for female teachers. Some teachers feel unsafe and a target for misogyny. Wescott heard shocking stories when she interviewed female teachers for her research: “One of the women said a student said, ‘Teacher, do you think women should be allowed to drive? Because according to Andrew Tate they shouldn’t be.'”
Former teacher Halley Metcalfe left teaching after 16 years due to Tate’s impact on schools: “The behavior of some boys made it no longer possible to simply teach. It was no longer teaching, but managing misbehavior. This is not the job we signed up for.” There are already too few teachers in Australia and with many women leaving, the problem is only getting worse.
Also concerns in the Netherlands
No similar research has been done in the Netherlands into the popularity of Andrew Tate. Yet, according to researcher Djoeke Ardon (Movisie and Knowledge Platform Inclusive Society), there are plenty of reasons for concern. Ardon hears from teachers and youth workers that some Dutch young people have the same interest in Tate and in topics such as the division of roles between men and women. So it’s not just boys who are interested in it, says Ardon: “We see a similar trend among women, ‘the tradwive’ or the traditional woman, and that also involves the same kind of strict ideas about femininity and masculinity.”
This trend emphasizes that it is nice to be a full-time mother and stand behind the kitchen sink, not work as a woman and the man earns the income. Ardon: “There is nothing wrong with that in itself, but there is if it stems from the idea that it is the natural role of women.” Djoeke Ardon calls for more research into the subject and advises teachers and youth workers to continue talking to young people about the ideas of Andrew Tate.
Andrew Tate
Andrew Tate and his brothers are facing criminal charges in Romania, including on suspicion of rape and human trafficking. He is also suspected of sexual abuse and tax evasion in the United Kingdom.
