Christian teacher sacked after sharing ‘misogynistic’ social media video likened to Andrew Tate claiming she ‘obeys’ her husband because he is her ‘boss’

A tribunal has heard how a Christian teacher was sacked after her traditional views on marriage were likened to those of controversial influencer Andrew Tate.

Gozen Soydag was pastoral head of year at St Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls, which has campuses in Palmers Green and Enfield when she shared a video entitled “King of My Life.”

The video features woman wearing a headscarf describes life as a married woman, how she will do whatever her husband wants, and “obey” him because he is her “boss” and “number one.”

Senior staff said the clip was “provocative”, “misogynistic” and “promotes 18th-century teaching”, with many likening it to the content of Tate.

Soydag, who has more than 30,000 followers across various Instagram accounts, claimed she believes submission in marriage is “beautiful” adding that wives should “submit to their husbands as to the Lord.”

She is now suing for wrongful dismissal, harassment, discrimination and breaches of her human rights on the grounds of her Christian beliefs.

The tribunal heard how the pastoral worker, who also has a law degree, began working at the school in September 2022.

She ran a social media account in which she has run monetised courses for and promotes the institution of marriage and stressed the importance of the traditional nuclear family.

A video shared by Soydag on the account in January 2023 was replayed to the panel.

In the clip, a woman wearing a headscarf said: “My husband is my boss. My husband is number one. My husband tells me ‘Hey, sit down’, I’ll sit down. If he tells me I can’t go out with my friends, I’m not going to go out with my friends.”

Soydag posted this video along with the caption “Many will see a woman in a headscarf and think she may be a slave or a maid to her husband…but what I see is a powerful woman who chooses to honour a man that loves her and a man who she follows wherever and whatever he asks her. What are you willing to do or be for your king who loves you and cherishes you?”

Following a series of complaints, there was a meeting between Soydag and the school’s associate headteacher, Jo Sanders.

Soydag claims she was told if a man had posted the video it would be “misogynistic” and that it was “provocative like Andrew Tate.”

She was eventually sacked in February 2023 after being told to delete the posts and make her accounts private.

While Soydag said she did not agree with the woman in the video “entirely”, she told the hearing she posted it to “provoke thought” amongst her followers.

Representing Soydag, Michael Philips of Christian Concern, said: “This is a case which turns entirely on social media. She is the equivalent of a street preacher but she is on social media, this is her pulpit. By saying she cannot speak in those ways they are unlawfully seeking to curtail her Article 9 and 10 rights.

He added the significance of her posts had occurred outside of school hours with no links to her employment there.

St Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls responded saying her discrimination claim did not “get off the ground” because she was told to delete the posts.

The school also said she was requested make her accounts private.

The hearing continues.