This is an article of mine published in Italy Magazine today. I am reproducing it in full here because I am outraged and it will be "old news" by the time I do next week's round-up of this week's stories. I would like to ask my sparring partner James and his anti-feminist friends how they can claim that feminism was never necessary when a twenty-first century, western leader can make a remark such as the one described here:
BERLUSCONI INSULTS FEMALE POLITICIAN
During a visit to the private Università Telematica Ecampus in Novedrate [Lombardy] yesterday Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi insulted Democratic Party President Rosy Bindi for the umpteenth time. Referring to some female students, who had been invited by email, Mr Berlusconi said,
“Here are some beautiful girls who have graduated with maximum marks and they don’t look like Rosy Bindi”.
Later signora Bindi issued the following statement:
“I congratulate the students who have graduated. As for the Prime Minister’s remarks, I will only note, sadly, that among the many signs that his rule is coming to an end we now have this repeatedly wearing evidence of his vulgarity.”
Last night Mr Berlusconi denied that he had said anything vulgar, adding,
“I said that to enter politics it is not necessary to look like Rosy Bindi. I didn’t say whether it was better to or not. Of course we’d all prefer [women politicians] to look like the Madonna”.
Last year Mr Berlusconi told Rosy Bindi, on live television, that she was “more beautiful than intelligent”, causing nearly 100,000 Italian women to sign a petition declaring that the Premier’s sexism was an insult to both women and democracy.
What would you have replied if you were Rosy Bindi?
4 comments:
First let me say, he's an ass. It's a clear case of how men work... with their little heads of course!
Yet on the other hand...
Please don't hate me...
He's saying what he feels. Right or wrong, he's being honest with who he is and that is applaudable. Just wish he knew better than to insult someone while doing it.
As for women's right... I can honestly say, I like when a man opens a door for me but I also like being able to have my own opinion and being respected for it.
I don't think men and women are created equally if that was the case men would have *(scuse me)* vagina's and women would have... *(well im sure you get the picture)* Women are much stronger than men, ever see a man get a cold? It's a great example... plus women.. get a monthly and have babies how many men do you know who could handle that?
Yet, I still like that door being held open for me!
All the best as always,
M
I don't think Rosi Bindi looks too bad. A bit feminist around the edges maybe but that's just the cross she has to bear.
Thank you, Welshcakes dearest, for comparing me to Berlusconi. Wish I had half his ill-gotten gains. :)
Maria, sorry to miss your comment - you are, of course, correct.
Hi, Maria. I agree with you, I think. And you have to hand it to Silvio for grabbing the headlines! A student of mine once said that he appeals to "the Italian instinct for joy" and I think that's true enough. As for the way men behave when they're ill, it's because they think they have to be strong all the time and when they get a cold it's the only time they're allowed to show weakness, poor dears. Gosh, Maria, you've got James's approval!
Hi, James. So it's OK to be "a bit feminist round the edges", is it? Any time you want a compliment, I'm your woman!
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