Serious Cultural Differences (regarding women)
This has been a very interesting surprise. I don’t think I’ve ever lived in a culture where sexism was so frowned upon. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, but when it does a ton of bricks come tumbling down on the culprit. In case you don’t understand French, in the video above an interviewer makes the mistake of asking member of the National Assembly, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, about her ‘hollywood’ hairstyles.
Even more interestingly, and unlike Spain, Britain or America where women who are politically aligned with the culprits generally defend misogyny- here there are women on all sides come out against it. Roselyne Bachelot is an excellent example. A centre-right former politician who took to television today to criticize Sarkozy (of her own party) for calling socialist education minister, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, mediocre. In her words: “he didn’t call her reforms mediocre, he didn’t call her proposals mediocre, he reserved for her a term he’s never used to describe any male politician.” She went on to say that someone with the minister’s education and career could hardly be called mediocre.
I had intended to keep this blog entirely apolitical, but I don’t think I can help it.
My Mazamet 
In the UK, the new Culture secretary voted against equal marriage and the equalising of the age of consent, and the new Equalities minister (!) at the Dept of Education voted against equal marriage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
-sigh- Don’t come to Australia either. Sexism is alive and well amongst the blokes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In Canada we’ve made some strides. A woman reporter was at a sports event and an idiot grabbed her microphone and said something really vulgar and degrading to women. She took him to task for it and rather than apologize he and his friend continued to laugh and make sexist remarks. After the video went viral I guess he was identified by his employer and subsequently fired.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I recall the protest in France last year in one region by students where the boys wore skirts to call attention to sexism. Here’s the story from my blog: https://jerbearinsantafe.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/france-in-pictures-french-schoolboys-wear-skirts-to-fight-sexism-france-24/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sometimes when you have an itch, you just have to scratch it. You could not b apolitical in life so why hide that essential part of you on the blog.? Anyway, you’re usually fun so carry on.
Hugs
LikeLike
I was really impressed by those women. It takes a lot to be able to say that. I know I do it on blogs but I’m not a senior politician. To say (I paraphrase) ‘ we’re not here to discuss my appearance, why are you commenting on that?’ is pretty groundbreaking.
And of course, they were both good looking. So, the same comment wouldn’t have been made to a plain woman. Or any man. And that was what they were aiming at.
I wonder how long they will last if they don’t play the games though?
LikeLike
I can’t help writing political stuff either, even if those posts have terrible traffic. I try to keep the political posts to a minimum. Not because I’m a traffic junkie, but still. I guess nobody cares about my politics. 😀
LikeLike