It’s not uncommon for people to assume that when two women meet, even if it’s in a professional working sphere, people assume it’s because they’re from the same age group and want to just chat. It’s automatically assumed that any conversation they have isn’t work-related simply due to their gender. There’s nothing new about people not taking women seriously and that’s exactly what happened with the leaders of New Zealand and Finland. At a recent press conference in Auckland, a journalist asked New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin if they often meet because they’re “similar in age” but Jacinda hit back at the journalist for the question.
Responding to the question posed by the media, New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern pointed out that the two leaders meet often not because of their gender or age group but because they’re prime ministers and have work to do. She further said that she wonders if anyone ever asked Barack Obama and John Key the same question because they were of the same age group. Jacinda then went on to explain New Zealand’s relationship with Finland and how her meeting with Sanna Marin can help leverage the economic collaboration between the two countries. She concluded by saying that both of their jobs is to further the economic activities between the nations irrespective of their gender. Take a look at this badass video of New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern giving it back to the journalist for asking a sexist question.
Watch NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pick apart this reporter's question during a joint press conference with Finnish PM Sanna Marin. He asked the pair 'are you two meeting because you're similar in age and got a lot of common stuff there?'
Read more: https://t.co/eTtJEqJoFZ pic.twitter.com/UBEZs1kzvF— SBS News (@SBSNews) November 30, 2022
Also Read: Finnish Women Have Found A Fun Way To Support Sanna Marin Amidst Backlash Over Her Recent Party Video
We’re truly impressed by how the New Zealand PM hit back at the journo and called out the sexism in a subtle manner. And TBH, it’s time the media starts taking a long hard look at the kind of questions they’re asking women. Women in powerful political roles don’t need sexist questions to pull them down and Twitter agrees with us. Reacting to the video, Twitter users hailed the New Zealand leader for slamming the journalist and giving a fierce response.
TLDR; a journalist asks a silly sexist question and is very quickly corrected by two Prime Ministers 🙄
These biases towards women in politics do nothing but hinder progress. #MoreWomen #MoreMná https://t.co/G9uWu5RaS9
— Women for Election (@women4election) November 30, 2022
Fuck me. I wouldn’t have been able to help myself. I would have said to the male reporter at the end of these answers: “Did you get all that, poppet – Or would you like it slower with simpler words?” https://t.co/7K0at4fLEj
— Greg Scott (@GregScottTV) November 30, 2022
I enjoy the barely repressed fury, channelled into totally being on her fucking shit, that Jacinda displays here – after what is, quite possibly, the stupidest question ever asked. https://t.co/9cw8605TGn
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) November 30, 2022
What if our politics was as thoughtful as this? Brilliant women leaders, who calmly dissect the thoughtless sexism of the question and move directly to visionary policy. How do we escape the toxicity and start working on solutions to existential problems? This is refreshing. https://t.co/dTPwFzr2U0
— sandi yoder (@ProdctvStruggle) November 30, 2022
Also Read: Madhubala’s Niece Writes To New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern About Her Mother’s Inhumane Treatment
Two really intelligent women telling “some bloke” to go fuck himself without actually telling said bloke to go and fuck himself. Love this. (P.S. proper leaders). https://t.co/JjKh7nlJXe
— Vass Koni (@vkon1) November 30, 2022
"a lot of people will be wondering…and stuff"…hey, you misogynistic little twat, they're not meeting to braid each other's hair and talk about boys FFS. https://t.co/9lzyB86Q2k
— Dr Penelope (@RedFiddler) November 30, 2022
Kudos to PM Ardern for calling out the inherent sexism in the question and dismissing it with a long list of facts. And kudos to both of these leaders for providing an example of power and strength for all of us. Let’s lift up more leaders like them. https://t.co/bh0g3AwR67
— Christina Reynolds (@creynoldsnc) November 30, 2022
Quite the example of #everydaysexism
Media bias & patriarchy are double edged sword wielded by such shoddy journos. Women’s capabilities are minimised in EVERY field – from boardrooms to politics.
♥️ PM Jacinda Ardern & PM Sanna Marin’s succinct, curt policy focused responses. https://t.co/lks0Rv2Uri
— Tehmina Kaoosji (@TehminaKaoosji) November 30, 2022
Wow – such a delight to see two female Prime Ministers gently and politely eviscerate a typical lazy male journalist’s dumb, condescending question.
Just watch 👇🏻
😉😏🙂 https://t.co/uAmTZdiEN5— David Hamer 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@DavidHamer_1951) November 30, 2022
Want to know just how bad it can be, when you’re a woman in the public eye? Watch this & listen to the sh** women put up with EVERY DAY of our working lives. How long? Seriously. How much longer? #women #politics #GenderEquity #ThisIsNotJournalism #auspol #NZ #Finland https://t.co/tdbbkFgHLh
— CaraMia200 (@CaraMia200) November 30, 2022
Twitter users have taken this opportunity to call out casual sexism in politics and how female leaders have to put up with such questions. And we agree. These leaders may be women but they have actual work to do instead of wasting their time dealing with such unnecessary questions and sexism.
