Is politics sexist? Not just on a superficial level. When we scrape beneath the surface, do all the warm words just turn into hot air?
A few incidents in recent weeks have thrown up questions about the culture surrounding those involved in running the country and indeed, those of us holding them to account and whether it is all that welcoming.
The most topical is former First Minister Alex Salmond’s behaviour in the House of Commons being called into question after he told Conservative MP Anna Soubry to “behave yourself, woman” during a debate on devolution.
Soubry scolded Salmond for thinking “women should be seen not heard,” and suggested his attitude belonged “firmly in the 19th Century.”
Naturally, he insisted his comments were “not in the slightest” chauvinistic and he’s been backed up by Nicola Sturgeon, who said she doesn’t know of any man “who is less sexist”.
Be that as it may, the ex-SNP leader certainly seeks to cultivate a macho image as a way of dominating his political opponents across debating chambers.
He is far from alone. The shouting, jeering and loud sneering from the Green Benches at Westminster can make for an incredibly intimidating arena which seems designed at times to reflect an old boys’ club.
Strong, capable women have succeeded, of course. But it can be a boorish atmosphere.
Is Holyrood any better? The fact that three of the five people fronting parties in Holyrood are female suggests it perhaps is.
This controversy follows another SNP MP, Fife-born Glasgow South representative Natalie McGarry, calling out the Scottish press for being “male dominated” and claiming the gender imbalance shines through in journalists’ copy. Of no doubt is the fact the Holyrood lobby is badly unbalanced. What is insulting to all genders is the idea this affects the way the news is written.
You don’t solve problems by simply shouting at groups, particularly when many folk would otherwise be inclined to agree about the issues. The suggestion that any man shouldn’t be in their individual role because of their sex is also discriminatory.
We should be looking at why more women aren’t applying for such jobs.
I would suggest a change in culture is under way whereby excellent journalists like Libby Brooks at The Guardian, Lindsay McIntosh at The Times and Press Association’s Katrine Bussey the last two are their outlets’ Scottish political editors, incidentally are part of an inclusive lobby which cares about your ability, not your gender.
Could more be done to highlight this? Absolutely. Unfortunately, some folk create the wrong impression trying to be holier than thou.
Women For Independence is a group looking to improve the representation of women in public and political life.
Alas, its latest blog, an interview with Brooks in which I get a handy namecheck as not being sexist, makes many basic spelling and factual errors, including calling McIntosh “Mackie”.
There is no shortage of women who should be at the forefront of politics, be it as elected representatives, journalists or other roles. Talent is not the question here. Hand wringing and name calling has well and truly had its day.
Good people regardless of their gender must want to get involved in public life. Simply shouting doesn’t work if it is inarticulate and inaccurate.
Has Scottish Labour’s acting boss gone deputy DJ?
Holyrood’s division bell unexpectedly rang this week when
Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens took exception to a shuffling round of government business.
Cue scrambling whips ferrying MSPs into the chamber to make sure the motion passed.
Credit to those charged with making sure folks vote. Almost everyone was there, including Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale.
She seemed a bit distracted, though, as she played with a giant set of headphones “cans” to the kids before realising she had been spotted from the press gallery.
Laughing but slightly embarrassed, the wannabe Scottish leader of her party quickly tucked them away before anyone else saw the tomfoolery.
Is she shaping up for a new career as a DJ should things get even worse for Labour north of the border?
Well, there was one particular image which stuck in my head when the
headphone pose was struck.
Rewind 15 years, which makes me feel old and picture pop “star” Craig David posing emotionally on the front of his debut album with a giant set of headphones on.
Naturally, Kez doesn’t have his “stylish” goatee but I’m sure she could pull off wearing his beanie hat.
Perhaps we could even see a cross-party musical collaboration with
Campbell Gunn, the guitar-playing Scottish Government special adviser.Buried in the archives
Buried in the archives
It’s amazing how easy it is to switch off and go into autopilot.
Putting in a call to the Tory press office about a story on Monday morning, I managed to forget I was in The Courier’s Dundee office rather than the Scottish Parliament.
Such a small error merely meant I forgot to stick in a dialling code but, rather than getting any sort of error message, the phone rang and rang.
My mistake only became apparent when a voice answered: “University archives.”
Had I been fleeter of thought I could have asked for the last Tory victory records.