Sexism in the media.....kitten heels

By the BBC.sorry.

Drives me nuts to be honest.

I don't think it is a female only issue though . Boy can some male politicians come in for some flack by the media and public alike, it can appear quite cruel at times.

Fashion, hair style, trouser length, looks, body weight, boobs showing, skirt length, sexuality etc. are often used to try and belittle/deride our politicians . I suppose it has always been the case.

The 'tone' of how a report or conversation follows can be quite interesting and usually tells you more about the personality of the person writing or talking than the politician they are musing over. Why some feel the need to be so puerile or at times downright nasty eludes me but each to their own I suppose and some commentators make a damn good living out of it.

Sad really but not likely to change, people enjoy doing it, unless ofcourse they are on the receiving end then it is a totally different matter.

I think the journos and twitteratie are pleased to have female leaders for a change as they can let loose with all the sexist nouns, adjectives and adverbs that they have not used for a while - except in Scotland where they have already exhausted their repertoire.

It still says more about those who use someones physical appearance or choose to use abusive name calling rather than those they are talking about.

I think some people just enjoy being nasty for nasty's sake.

So long as they get this country back on track, they can dance round Trafalgar Sq. stark B........K naked for all I care. (female versions SBN are of course available)

I don't think I can be the only person whose opinion of people is affected (to a greater or lesser degree) by their appearance, at least initially. It might be shallow but sight is one of our senses.

But, I do agree that the media shouldn't be making those judgements for us.

To me gloating over ones ability to have children was so cruel and unnecessary. Made me want to cry. Much worse than any criticism of appearance.

I don't know of any gloating. I certainly think someone who has had to combine career and kids has a different sort of experience to bring to the role. It will resonate with many other women who know that we cannot 'have it all' and have had to make sacrifices accordingly. Teresa May has been pro Sharia law which I find disconcerting and her husband seems to have benefited from commercial contracts connected to the home office.

Kids are a joy but they are also a worry, a burden at times, a responsibility, a drain on finances and sometimes after all that, bloody ungrateful. Who knows what family life brings us overall? But anyone who has been a mum knows the feelings of not being able to get to 3 sports days in different places and not being able to 'network' after work because you have to get home and help with the spellings. I don't think she gloated, her experience in being a mother is useful that's all.

Reading and watching "reports" from the media over the last several weeks has filled me with despair. Horrible, sensationalist, rabble rousing rubbish in the main. Have we as a nation forgotten balanced reporting. And its not just here, what the press (and politicians) have done in the last few days re: police shootings, just making a bad situation intolerable. Much though I would have thought I was against censorship of the press, I am beginning to wonder if all this freedom they have to incite hysteria, isn't going to lead to a breakdown of our heretofore (relatively ) civilised society.
Sorry to be so heavy on a sunny Saturday morning, but I am feeling quite strongly about this.

At best, Leadsom's references to being a mother displayed the desperation of someone trying to pad out a rather thin CV. At worst, distasteful in the extreme.

Does anyone remember the tv drama "the Amazing Mrs Pritchard" by Sally Wainwright where a totally unknown woman becomes Prime Minister, played by Jane Horrocks. It would be funny if this really happened..or would it?

I think the standard of journalism has gone downhill, thanks to Murdoch and the proliferation of all those gossip rags. I have a friend who is an actress who used to grumble about the tabloid press and I used to say "Wait till the Guardian interviews you" but when they did the writer (not staff) used the phrase "bee stung lips".....!
Having said that, I do agree with you, Kittylester, that we are influenced by what someone looks like, what they wear and so on, and I'm one of the noseiest people in the world.

I am always proud when I see our Prime Ministers looking smart and professional at overseas conferences and such. Cameron, Sturgeon, Thatcher all look nice when representing their Country. If you look a mess you will not get any respect. Poor little Corbyn and Boris Johnson (remember him) need to look the part.

Kitten heels and vests!
Is this what politics has come to? !

Don't forget non-Savile Row suits and not doing your tie up properly!

PS. Boris Johnson is hardly poor or little!

It would appear so!

Regarding the controversy over Andrea Leadsom being reported as saying being a mother gave her a more vested interest in the future of the country, I found myself wondering whether had the candidates been 2 men the issue of whether they had children or not would have even merited a mention. ( what a long sentence!).

This made laugh!

Brilliant cartoon!

With the exception of David Cameron, I have no idea whether any of the male politicians have children or not, and I bet most other people don't know either. Why is it an issue for women?

Quite right if you have children or not what's the problem it's got nothing to do with the running ov the country. My daughter has never wanted children she has a very good job and a busy lifestyle why is it that some people think you have to have children.

You could argue that being childless gives you more time to run the Country. Anyway, it is an unkind comparison as you do not know whether childlessness is by accident or design.

Does anyone know WHEN the Tory leader is finally chosen?

Just seen Angela Eagle on t.v. She has jazzed herself up with a pink jumper. I like this lady and will watch her with interest!

A pink jumper, that's given her a good chance of winning the Labour Leadership challenge then.

I could have screamed at the tele today.

Cameron was giving a statement re the UK's Defence Policy and Trident. What did the media a.holes ask about, being a mother and Andrea Leadsome.

Ye gods the gravitas of discussing politics is appalling at times.