Ditch the Label

Last updated
Ditch the Label
Founded2012 (2012)
Founder Liam Hackett
Type Non-profit organisation
Location
Area served
United Kingdom, United States of America, Mexico
Key people
Liam Hackett
Website ditchthelabel.org
Known as Deja Las Etiquetas in Mexico (www.DejaLasEtiquetas.mx)

Ditch the Label is a global youth charity, dedicated to helping young people through a range of issues such as mental wellbeing, bullying, identity, relationships and digital literacy.

Contents

Ditch the Label is a digital charity, meaning that most of the support provided is through their website and partnerships with games and social networks. They additionally operate Ditch the Label Education, which provides free educational resources for schools and colleges in served areas.

History

Infancy

After dismissing his own experiences as a victim of bullying and relying on authorities to act for ten years, founder and current CEO of Ditch the Label Liam Hackett took to the Internet in 2005 to post about his experiences. [1] Hackett talked about the extreme verbal and physical bullying he had experienced, including his hospitalisation after being attacked by a group of people from school. Overnight, hundreds of people came together, united by their experiences.

In 2006, Hackett launched a specific MySpace profile to host the conversations and named it "Ditch the Label".

Hackett recognized the potential of Ditch the Label and approached the local Chamber of Commerce in 2007. Aged 16, he became the first person below the age of 18 to receive a grant in his local area to develop a Ditch the Label website.

In 2012, Hackett graduated with a degree in business and management from the University of Sussex and immediately registered Ditch the Label as a legal entity and began to develop the organisation. Income requirements had disqualified Ditch the Label from becoming a recognized charity. Gaining charity status was required in order to attract funding. In March 2014, Ditch the Label was officially registered as a charity in the UK.

In 2015, Ditch the Label announced plans to expand across the United States and Mexico, aiming to support 500,000 young bullying victims. 2016 also saw the launch of the fifth and most comprehensive Annual Bullying Survey in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

Research

The Cyberbullying Report (2013)

The Cyberbullying Report (2013) [2] combined a bullying-related data set of over 10,000 young people with key questions surrounding cyberbullying and the use of integrated digital technology within the lives of young people. Upon publication in October 2013, media publications were quick to respond; turning the findings of the report into global headlines. As a result, the report went on to consult government, social networks, schools, colleges and other organisations in their counter cyberbullying strategy.

The Annual Bullying Survey (2013–present)

Each year, Ditch the Label partners with schools and colleges across the UK to conduct a survey which highlights the current climate of bullying amongst 13 - 18 year olds. [3] The reports came with tips and advice for schools, colleges, parents and guardians, government and young people on how to reduce the effects and prominence of bullying.

The Gender Report (2016)

The Gender Report (2016) [4] covered the topic of gender and how it can enable and disable young people aged 13–25 throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The research was focused on the definition of gender, gender roles and the bullying and discrimination young people experience as a result of not conforming to societal norms. [5]

Masculinity and Misogyny in the Digital Age (2016)

In conjunction with leading social intelligence company Brandwatch, Ditch the Label explored misogynistic behaviour and ideas of masculinity on Twitter by analysing 19 million Tweets over a four-year period. [6] The report [7] was supported by British politician Caroline Lucas and subsequently presented at a parliamentary reception in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in October 2016.

Exposed: The Scale of Transphobia Online

The research [8] analysed 10 million posts on the topic of transgender identity across the UK and the US over a period of three-and-a-half years. [9] [10] It uncovered 1.5 million transphobic comments amid the wider conversation around transgender people.

Partnerships

Ditch the Label and Habbo (2013–2016)

In August 2013, the organisation joined Finnish youth virtual social networking service Habbo to extend their support to those who had experienced bullying. The organisation used Habbo as an online help centre for the virtual community to provide support and advice to both the targets and perpetrators of bullying.

The organisation also ran bullying-awareness campaigns on the virtual social network. [11] [12]

Ditch the Label and Axe/Lynx (2016–present)

Based on findings from the 2016 edition of the Annual Bullying Survey which established that the majority of those who bully are men, [13] Ditch the Label joined forces with brand Axe (known in the UK as Lynx) to give young men the tools and resources they need to stand up to bullying and be comfortable with who they are – without the pressures and limits of traditional masculinity.

Ditch the Label are aiming to help at least 474,000 people through their partnership with Axe/Lynx.

Ditch the Label and Tumblr (2020–present)

Tumblr and Ditch the Label created a digital literacy campaign titled, World Wide What, with its aim to help make the internet “a better, safer, and more place for everyone,” using informative videos and more. [14] [15]

Celebrity ambassadors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transphobia</span> Anti-transgender prejudice

Transphobia consists of negative attitudes, feelings, or actions towards transgender people or transness in general. Transphobia can include fear, aversion, hatred, violence or anger towards people who do not conform to social gender roles. Transphobia is a type of prejudice and discrimination, similar to racism, sexism, or ableism, and it is closely associated with homophobia. Transgender people of color can experience many different forms of discrimination simultaneously.

Gay bashing is an attack, abuse, or assault committed against a person who is perceived by the aggressor to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+). It includes both violence against LGBT people and LGBT bullying. The term covers violence against and bullying of people who are LGBT, as well as non-LGBT people whom the attacker perceives to be LGBT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bullying</span> Use of force or coercion to abuse or intimidate others

Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception of an imbalance of physical or social power. This imbalance distinguishes bullying from conflict. Bullying is a subcategory of aggressive behavior characterized by hostile intent, imbalance of power and repetition over a period of time.

<i>Habbo</i> Finnish online community

Habbo is an online virtual world. It is owned and operated by Sulake. Habbo's main audience are teenagers and young adults. Founded in 2000, Habbo has expanded to nine online communities, with users from more than 150 countries. Since August 2012, more than 273 million avatars have been registered with an average of 500,000 visitors per month.

Gender expression, or gender presentation, is a person's behavior, mannerisms, and appearance that are socially associated with gender, namely femininity or masculinity. Gender expression can also be defined as the external manifestation of one's gender identity through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice, or body characteristics. Typically, people think about a person's gender expression in terms of masculinity and femininity, but there are many ways to mix both feminine and masculine in identity. A person's gender expression may or may not match their assigned sex at birth. This includes gender roles, and accordingly relies on cultural stereotypes about gender. It is distinct from gender identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Educational Action Challenging Homophobia</span> LGBT charity in the UK

Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) is a charity based in the United Kingdom which "affirms the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people and reduces discrimination experienced because of sexual orientation or gender identity." Since 2003, EACH has delivered training and consultancy services on sexuality and gender identity matters across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. It also provides support to those affected by homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying through its nationwide, freephone helpline.

Gender variance or gender nonconformity is behavior or gender expression by an individual that does not match masculine or feminine gender norms. A gender-nonconforming person may be variant in their gender identity, being transgender or non-binary, or they may be cisgender. In the case of transgender people, they may be perceived, or perceive themselves as, gender-nonconforming before transitioning, but might not be perceived as such after transitioning. Transgender adults who appear gender-nonconforming after transition are more likely to experience discrimination.

Act Against Bullying (AAB) is a United Kingdom charity. It was founded in 2003 by Louise Burfitt-Dons. The charity's purpose is to help bullied children by providing them with confidential advice and to raise public awareness of the problem. The AAB website offers supportive messages and information on all forms of systematic bullying, in particular psychological bullying. The site also features advice on forms of bullying such as exclusion bullying and cyberbullying.

Mobile harassment refers to the act of sending any type of text message, sex photo message, video message, or voicemail from a mobile phone that causes the receiver to feel harassed, threatened, tormented, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise victimized. It is recognized as a form of cyberbullying.

Bullying suicide are considered together when the cause of suicide is attributable to the victim having been bullied, either in person or via social media. Writers Neil Marr and Tim Field wrote about it in their 2001 book Bullycide: Death at Playtime.

Anti-bullying legislation is a legislation enacted to help reduce and eliminate bullying. This legislation may be national or sub-national and is commonly aimed at ending bullying in schools or workplaces.

Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers and adolescents, due to the communication technology advancements and young people's increased use of such technologies. Cyberbullying is when someone, typically a teenager, bullies or harasses others on the internet and other digital spaces, particularly on social media sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transmisogyny</span> Intersection of transphobia and misogyny, experienced by transfeminine individuals

Transmisogyny, otherwise known as trans-misogyny and transphobic misogyny, is the intersection of transphobia and misogyny as experienced by trans women and transfeminine people. The term was coined by Julia Serano in her 2007 book Whipping Girl to describe a particular form of oppression experienced by trans women. In an interview with The New York Times, Serano explores the roots of transmisogyny as a critique of feminine gender expressions which are "ridiculed in comparison to masculine interests and gender expression."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Hackett</span> British activist (born 1991)

Liam Hackett is an activist, entrepreneur and author best known as the founder and CEO of the global youth charity Ditch the Label. Hackett is also known as one of the stars of Huffington Post's reality series, 'The New Activists' also appearing in MTV's Geordie OG's series one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Kerala</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Kerala face legal and social difficulties not experienced by non-LGBT persons. However, Kerala has been at the forefront of LGBT issues in India after Tamil Nadu. It became one of the first states in India to establish a welfare policy for the transgender community and in 2016, proposed implementing free gender affirmation surgery through government hospitals. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2018, following the Supreme Court ruling in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India. In addition, numerous LGBT-related events have been held across Kerala, including in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. However, there is also increasing opposition to LGBT rights recently as evidenced by the anti-LGBT campaigns spearheaded by meninist groups and Muslim organisations like Indian Union Muslim League, Samastha and Jamaat-e-Islami.

In the United States, LGBT youth of colour are marginalized adolescents in the LGBT community. Social issues include homelessness; cyberbullying; physical, verbal and sexual abuse; suicide; drug addiction; street violence; immigration surveillance; engagement in high-risk sexual activity; self-harm, and depression. The rights of LGBT youth of colour are reportedly not addressed in discussions of sexuality and race in the larger context of LGBT rights.

sj Miller American academic, public speaker, social justice activist and professor

sj Miller is an American academic, public speaker, social justice activist, and Professor of Teacher Education at the Santa Fe Community College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mermaids (charity)</span> British charity that supports transgender youth

Mermaids is a British charity and advocacy organisation that supports gender variant and transgender youth. It also provides inclusion and diversity training. Mermaids was founded in 1995 by a group of parents of gender nonconforming children and became a charitable incorporated organisation in 2015.

The LGB Alliance is a British nonprofit advocacy group founded in 2019, in opposition to the policies of LGBT rights charity Stonewall on transgender issues. Its founders are Bev Jackson, Kate Harris, Allison Bailey, Malcolm Clark and Ann Sinnott. The organisation has said that lesbians are facing "extinction" because of the "disproportionate" focus on transgender identities in schools.

Bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) people, particularly LGBT youth, involves intentional actions toward the victim, repeated negative actions by one or more people against another person, and an imbalance of physical or psychological power.

References

  1. "Ditch the Label, mental health platform". Ditch The Label. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  2. "Cyberbullying Report". Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  3. Wakefield, Jane (2017-07-19). "Instagram tops cyber-bullying study". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2017-09-22. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  4. "Gender Report". Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  5. "Female School Pupils Think Their Gender Will Affect Their Career". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 2016-08-28. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  6. "Women are more likely to use misogynistic language on Twitter". The Independent. 2016-10-16. Archived from the original on 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  7. "Masculinity and Misogyny in the Digital Age". Archived from the original on 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  8. "The Scale of Transphobia Online". Brandwatch. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  9. Hunte, Ben (2019-10-25). "Transgender people treated 'inhumanely' online". Archived from the original on 2022-05-14. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  10. "Study Finds Torrent of Transphobic Abuse on Social Media". Time. Archived from the original on 2019-10-30. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  11. "Ditch the Label: We just checked in to Habbo Hotel". www.ditchthelabel.org/. Archived from the original on 7 May 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  12. "Habbo: Ditch the Label News". habbo.com/. Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  13. "Annual Bullying Survey". Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  14. "Tumblr is rolling out an internet literacy initiative to help combat misinformation and cyberbullying". www.theverge.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  15. "Tumblr's literacy initiative wants to educate people on misinformation and cyberbullying". thenextweb.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-12. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  16. "Holly Hagan and Nathan Henry join mental health campaign". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-30. Retrieved 2019-10-30.