Had Corbyn Or Any Other Man If It Comes To That, Made Such A Sexist Remark Towards A Female He Or They Would Have Been Lambasted.

[anotheoldgit]

/// “Jeremy Corbyn’s minders can put him into a smart blue suit for an interview with Jeremy Paxman – but with his position on Brexit, he will find himself alone and naked in the negotiating chamber of the European Union,” she said. ///

/// As the audience of Tory activists laughed awkwardly, she added: “Now I know that’s an image that doesn’t bear thinking about. But actually this is very serious. ///

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/30/corbyn-would-go-alone-and-naked-into-brexit-talks-says-theresa-may

[jim360]

Sure, if you say so.

[kvalidir]

That's very true AOG, and one of the things I find least palatable about society. I can't stand double standards : /

[anneasquith]

Ooooh smutty Theresa,!!!!!

[Baldric]

Must be a slow News Day.

[Kromovaracun]

As usual, the PM resorts to being invidious and waspish to compensate for her lack of ideas.

The whole Tory campaign has been a disgrace. Arrogant and undignified.

[ummmm]

Why is it sexist?

[saintpeter48]

I thought the same at the time I heard her say it, if Corbyn had said the same about the PM then the media would've jumped all over it, double standards at its best!!

[naomi24]

Krom, Diane and Jeremy have been dignified? Really? Hohoho!

[douglas9401]

I'm still mulling but my first reaction is that I'd rather see Jezza starkers than Treezy.

Hope that helps.

[youngmafbog]

Odd statement to make but i can't see it as sexist.

And no, if Jezza made that statement, or similar, I personally couldnt give a monkeys either.

[kvalidir]

It's not sexist in itself but I think AOG is trying to say that if Jeremy Corbyn had said it about Teresa May then it would have been viewed very dimly and there would have been implied sexual overtones since he is male, whereas because a woman says it about a man she is given more leaway and it's barely commented upon. I tend to agree with that too, but it's more double standards not sexist in itself.

[scooping]

All seem to be missing that this is an Aneurin Bevan quote from Oct 3, 1957, arguing against unilateral disarmament. May should have made that clear.

[jno]

I don't know about sexist, but it's certainly personal. If Corbyn had called May an ugly old bat it would have been equally so.

[jno]

Scooping, it is more or less a quote from Bevan - but Bevan didn't add that it was "an image that doesn't bear thinking about". That's what makes it tacky.

[naomi24]

Wooden spoons are working.

[Deskdiary]

It was lifted from Nye Bevan.

"The metaphor was originally used by Labour politician Aneurin Bevan in 1957 as a warning to unilateralists in his own party that stripping Britain of nuclear weapons would send a future foreign secretary “naked into the conference chamber”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-jeremy-corbyn-naked-alone-election-2017-conservative-labour-leaders-a7763501.html

Not in the slightest bit sexist - but re-hashing something from over 50 years ago that most people, unless they are very very heavily into the history of politics, would have no clue about, was pretty pointless.

She could have chosen a better metaphor, or better still just told the truth and stated that Corbyn is ill-equipped to negotiate on our behalf.

[ludwig]

What's sexist is that people think it's a bit of fun when it's directed at a man, but would see it differently if directed at a woman. To reiterate AOG's point, here's how it sounds in reverse.

/// “Theresa May’s minders can put her into a smart blue dress for an interview with Jeremy Paxman – but with her position on Brexit, she will find herself alone and naked in the negotiating chamber of the European Union,” he said.

As the audience of Labour activists laughed awkwardly, he added: “Now I know that’s an image that doesn’t bear thinking about. But actually this is very serious. ///

Not so nice.