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A Christian counselor and social media influencer, Gozen Soydag, is suing St. Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls in North London, claiming wrongful dismissal, harassment, discrimination, and breaches of her human rights after being terminated over her social media posts promoting traditional Christian teachings on marriage. Soydag, 37, served as a pastoral manager at the school and gained recognition online with over 30,000 followers across her Instagram accounts, including @wifeinthewaiting.
The Social Media Post That Sparked Controversy
The controversy arose after Soydag shared a video featuring a woman in a headscarf expressing her belief in marital submission, stating, “My husband is my boss. My husband is number one.” Accompanying the video, Soydag commented on the beauty of honouring a loving husband, sparking complaints from school officials who deemed the post “provocative” and “misogynistic.” The video was likened to content from controversial influencer Andrew Tate, further fuelling criticism.
Dismissal and Allegations Against the School
Soydag, who had previously been praised for her work supporting young women in challenging circumstances, defended her posts as aligned with biblical principles and aimed at encouraging adult women, not students. Despite her efforts to address the concerns, including removing the offending content, she was dismissed in February 2023 on the grounds that her social media activity conflicted with the school’s ethos.
Legal and Religious Implications
In a meeting with the school’s associate headteacher, Jo Sanders, Soydag was told that if a man had posted the same video, it would have been considered “misogynistic.” She claims that she was instructed to make her account unsearchable on Google within 24 hours, a demand she found technically impossible. Additionally, Soydag alleges that her dismissal violated the Equality Act 2010 and the Employment Rights Act 1996, as she was never provided with a formal written contract.
Michael Philips of Christian Concern, representing Soydag, compared her online activity to a street preacher using social media as a modern pulpit. He argued that restricting her ability to express her Christian beliefs infringes on her rights to freedom of religion and expression under Articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Debate Over Religious Expression in the Workplace
Tim Dieppe from the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Soydag’s case, described the dismissal as “surprising and shocking,” emphasizing that Christian beliefs should not be grounds for termination. He questioned whether individuals of other faiths would face similar treatment and highlighted the need for protecting religious expression in the workplace.
Soydag’s legal case has reignited debates about the balance between personal beliefs and professional roles, as well as the challenges of navigating religious expression in secular workplaces. St. Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls has yet to comment on the case.
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