2020
Natasha (Tash) Eeles
- Age: 29
- | She/her/hers
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All young people have the right to receive an education free from the threat or experience of sexual violence. Through empowering and educating the next generation to recognize and tackle rape culture, we can create institutional change and eradicate gendered violence within schools and universities.
- Natasha (Tash) Eeles
Bio
Natasha is the founder of Bold Voices, an award winning social enterprise that prepares and empowers educational communities to recognise and tackle gender inequality and cultures of gender-based violence. Natasha has an academic foundation in issues of gender and equality with an MSc in Gender and International Relations from the University of Bristol. She has facilitated workshops and delivered lectures on gender equality, feminism and women’s rights at multinational investment banks, start ups, schools and universities across the UK. In 2022 she was accepted onto the Acumen Fellowship alongside 20 other leaders tackling social injustice within the UK.
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
The culture that I experienced at university completely shock me. As a naive, pretty sheltered and privileged 18 year old I had no idea how to deal with the harassment and violence that was endemic at university. As the founder of an organisation who’s mission is to tackle gender-based violence many assume that I have a “story to tell” but this isn’t the case. Instead, my experiences at university were those of regular sexual harassment, some experiences that have always felt like they sat in that “grey area” of consent and a constant exposure to jokes trivialising violence, victim blaming, slut shaming, objectification and the endless other attitudes and languages that make up a rape culture. But more powerful than this are the countless stories and experiences of sexual harassment and violence that my friends have shared with me over the years, and that strangers and young people continue to share with me through Bold Voices. It is the collective experience that motivates and drives this work.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
Bold Voices has worked with over 25,000 young people in the UK, delivering learning on gender inequality and creating spaces for discussion and education. In addition, our Ambassador Programme, piloted 2021-22, has so far created opportunities for 175 young people to take part in a 10 month programme, developing the skills and knowledge to run change making projects within their school communities to tackle gender inequality and gender-based violence. The biggest wins are the conversations we have with young people in schools, encouraging them to place a gendered lens on the world and to build the courage to challenge gender inequality in their day to day lives.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
I love to read, to cook for friends and family, and to explore new parts of London and I play netball twice a week!
Languages Spoken:
- English (Advanced/Native)
Publications:
Speaks On:
- Cultures of gender-based violence and how gender stereotypes, gendered language and attitudes form a bedrock from which gender-based violence can exist
- Education and the creation of space for critical thought and conversation is the solution to gender inequality and gender-based violence
- How to empower young people to lead initiatives and projects to create change in schools
Past Awards, Certifications, or Fellowships:
- New Entrepreneurs Foundation Fast Track Cohort (2020)
- Feminist Leadership Course - Women's Resource Centre
- New Entrepreneurs Foundation Fast-track Programme (2021)
