The wives and girlfriend craze of male politicians (and their spin doctors of course…)
Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 4:58pm
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You may think that, as a feminist, I would commend the fact that the wives of prospective US Presidents and British Prime Ministers are making speeches to support their husbands and their efforts in government, that it shows a side to our politicians that we want to see- a personable and loving side. I have to tell you that I am not of that opinion. If Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown want to speak about the issues of the day, and we know that they are capable and effective at doing so, then I say, stand for that position yourself! Well, that’s what Hilary Clinton did, we all know that by now! I think its patronizing and degrading for the women in question to stand up and speak in this manner. No doubt Brown’s advisers were sitting around a table, desperately trying to think of a way to deflect any attention from a tired and uninspiring speech from Gordon. ‘Oh yes’, they said, ‘we’ll put Sarah up, get her tell everyone how super he is. That’ll change their minds’. Hmmm, not quite.
Word has it that Harriet Harman was supposed to carry out the role of introducing Brown to conference anyway- as if he needs such a display of over indulgence after the media scrutiny that he’s endured since arriving at 10 Downing Street.
Of course, I don’t believe that the wives of politicians should be used as a media tool, and so they should not be drafted in to get their husbands out of difficult situations- of their own making ( I talk mainly of Brown in this instance. Obama doesn’t seem to have had as much of a hard time politically as yet, but it will come…) Just look at how GMTV and other such shows are telling people how to get ‘the Michelle look’- prim beads and purple dress. Please, give me strength, and don’t get me started on the way the media portray Carla Bruni.
Women do not need to stand in the shadows of their husbands, or of others around them. We should encourage women of all ages and backgrounds to have the confidence to run for office themselves. This image does nothing to further this cause, and does nothing to push against the ‘concrete ceiling’ of male dominance in politics.
