Spain and the UK – a world of difference for women politicians
Spain appoints its first female Defense Minister, part of Zapatero’s cabinet that’s gender balanced. Time has an article about her (via Liberal Conspiracy), and women in politics in Spain – it’s not easy going, but it must be an optimistic time to be a woman politician in Spain. The Sun, in contrast, just comments on Chacón’s looks, part of an awful article about how female politicians look in different European countries. Berlusconi’s former model politicians are particularly praised by The Sun – forget the fact that he’s had to apologise to his wife for his behaviour towards one of them…
Meanwhile for women politicians in the UK the situation is not exactly pleasant – the Daily Mail is aghast that Jacqui Smith showed some cleavage (summary here) and implies some tension between her and Theresa May in the cleavage stakes. Get real!
Slightly unfair to compare Time with the Sun. The issue is whether there’s been any discussion in Economist/FT/Broadsheets surely. But yes, it’s particularly depressing that a paper that prides itself on having a high female readership such as the Mail cannot see beyond women politiicians chests.