Understanding the impact of sexism and misogyny on young people’s mental health

Led by Dr Gemma Knowles at King’s College London

Bridging Divides 2 is a five-year study which started in April 2025 and is funded by the Wellcome Trust. The goal of the study, led by Dr Gemma Knowles at King’s College London, is to work as closely as possible with young people and their support networks to understand why teenage girls are more likely than teenage boys to experience mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. These mental health inequalities have been well-documented for many years, but scientific understanding of the causes – and why it typically happens at this age – is limited. Driven by young people’s ideas, Bridging Divides 2 is investigating sexism and misogyny as a possible underlying cause.

With their Emerging Leaders Prize funding, Gemma and her team will extend and enhance Bridging Divides 2 by investigating how boys experience sexism and misogyny, and how this might impact their mental health, as well as their social and emotional development. They will also build new international collaborations with other emerging leaders who share their passion for social justice and youth-inspired research. Finally, they will invest in leadership development to support their team in navigating the complexities and sensitivities of this field, to ensure their work is as impactful as possible.

The researchers hope that this funding will contribute towards creating more equitable and supportive environments for the next generation.