{"id":6850,"date":"2026-09-24T14:33:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T14:33:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.habselstree.org.uk\/boys\/?p=6850"},"modified":"2026-09-24T14:39:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T14:39:03","slug":"encouraging-critical-thinking-and-challenging-perspectives-as-laura-bates-launches-this-years-visiting-speakers-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.habselstree.org.uk\/boys\/whats-on\/our-news\/encouraging-critical-thinking-and-challenging-perspectives-as-laura-bates-launches-this-years-visiting-speakers-programme\/","title":{"rendered":"Encouraging critical thinking and challenging perspectives as Laura Bates launches this year&#8217;s Visiting Speakers Programme."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We were pleased to welcome award-winning journalist and best-selling author Laura Bates for the first talk in this year&#8217;s Visiting Speakers Programme.<\/p>\n<p>Founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, Laura has become one of the UK&#8217;s leading voices on gender equality, online culture and social change. During her visit, she spoke to Sixth Form students about the challenges and opportunities shaping society today, drawing on her research into topics including online communities and the growing influence of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p>The talk encouraged students to demonstrate open-mindedness by engaging with different perspectives and thinking critically about the world around them. Laura shared insights from her work and career, sparking thoughtful discussion and prompting students to consider the impact of technology and social change on future generations.<\/p>\n<p>One of the key aims of the Visiting Speakers Programme is to expose students to leading thinkers, writers and experts from a wide range of fields. Laura&#8217;s thought-provoking keynote provided an inspiring start to this year&#8217;s programme, broadening students&#8217; understanding of contemporary issues while reinforcing the value of open-minded dialogue and community engagement.<\/p>\n<p>We are grateful to Laura for taking the time to visit us and look forward to an exciting programme of visiting speakers throughout the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We were pleased to welcome award-winning journalist and best-selling author Laura Bates for the first talk in this year&#8217;s Visiting Speakers 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