“A student told me that women’s place was in the kitchen”: when young people in the Region raise awareness about discrimination

From "Young Ambassadors for Rights and Equality" raised awareness among high school students from Pierre Mendès-France this Tuesday in Montpellier, as part of a national program.

Mathieu and Redjina are two of the four young people who spoke this Tuesday at the Pierre Mendès-France professional high school, in Cambacérès. Aged 23 and 21, these Montpellier residents are Young Ambassadors of Rights and Equality (Jade). There are ten of them in Occitania participating in this program, as part of their civic service. 

"We make them aware of equality and non-discrimination, explains Mathieu. Talking with them allows you to deconstruct ideas that are sometimes very anchored. Recently, a student told me that women's place was in the kitchen…"

"I got my law degree in June and took a year to commit and feel useful, underlines Redjina. The Jade mission goes very well with my background. I have already been discriminated against, because of my skin color and because I am a woman. I like it when young people tell me that they learned something they didn't know."

"If you are a person of non-white appearance, you live in a deprived area, and you are also a woman or a person with a disability, there is an even greater risk of being discriminated against", underlined Claire Hedon, Defender of Rights, appointed by the president of the Republic.

A fresco victim of homophobia

For almost three years, an immense and magnificent fresco has taken pride of place in the courtyard of the Pierre Mendès-France high school. A fruit of the students' imagination, it was created by the students. brought to life by the high school life council and created by the artist NoWorries Ma. But the messages around tolerance and difference displayed there do not please many people. everyone. She has already done so. été degraded & twice, at night. A couple of men embracing and an LGBT flag paid the price. The fresco was painted redone &agrav; each time but if the couple is still visible, the rainbow flag has disappeared. The symbol of homophobia which is unfortunately progressing in our society. "Là où LGBT people are discriminated against, there are also attacks against women, the so-called origin or color, stressed Claire Hedon, Rights Defender. We must fight against all discrimination, this is how we will get there.

"The objective of their interventions is to train high school students in their rights, and to show them that ;they are protected against discrimination, underlined the rector of the academic region, Sophie Béjean. They don't imagine all the discrimination criteria that exist."

Before the meeting with the high school students of Pierre Mendès-France, the "Jade" was signed at the Hôtel de Région by the Defender of Rights, who trains the speakers, the representatives of the Academy, who allow interventions in middle and high schools, and the association Unis-Cité, approved for civic service.

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