How some men celebrated Suffrage Day

Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, September 20th, 2018 - 37 comments
Categories: internet, making shit up, Media, national, Simon Bridges, social media lolz, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, twitter, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

Yesterday was a day to rejoice, to celebrate the fact that 125 years ago our democracy was the first in the world to give women the vote. Such forward looking liberal policy is rightfully celebrated.

But Simon thought it was all about him with as tone deaf a social media post as you can imagine with himself at the centre and ahead of two of his female caucus members.

Then he tried to match Andrew Little’s coolness. And failed.

But his lack of sensitivity was dwarfed by the efforts of another.  Who engaged in as big a piece of mansplaining as you could imagine.  Who complained that different times some men also did not have a vote while avoiding mentioning they tended to have dark skins.  Who penned an article and did not mention one issue or achievement of significance to women.

And Leighton clearly is still upset with the decision to give students and working families a bigger share of the country’s wealth. From his article:

What bothers me more than anything else now is that we have all got the right to vote, but how many votes are wasted? How many don’t bother to pay attention to what politics is all about?

How many don’t bother to pay attention to what philosophy of life is all about in its various forms? There are wasted votes.

What bothers me is the criminality in my mind of the bribery and corruption that goes on in election time. 2005 was a prime example, I keep referring to it because it is the best example in recent times

Every election year there are promises made that attract voters and win seats.

It might be 125 years, but I agree with those who say there is a long way to go. There is a lot to retrieve because we have surrendered it, in a manner which shows we have discarded what we already had. I find that incredibly disappointing.

While we celebrate 125 years, let’s look at what we have lost along the way because we didn’t value it enough.

It was 13 years ago Leighton, let it go …

37 comments on “How some men celebrated Suffrage Day ”

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  1. Sacha 1
    20 September 2018 at 9:32 am

    ‘Men’ is stretching it for these cosseted whining babies.

  2. Gabby 2
    20 September 2018 at 9:36 am

    Leightweight misses rotten boroughs.

  3. Doogs 3
    20 September 2018 at 9:36 am

    I suspect there is a special place in hell reserved for those who, on the 125th anniversary of women’s vote, stand on the steps of Parliament, IN FRONT OF 2 WOMEN and give the two-gun-Tex salute.

    What he should have done was stand behind and between them, with his arms on their shoulders and let THEM give whatever salute they felt appropriate.

    FFS this what women still have to deal with. But then again, if you are Nat (female) MP then you have nothing to say – do you?

  4. Visubversa 4
    20 September 2018 at 9:37 am

    2005? Wasn’t that the year that the Exclusive Brethren conspired with the National Party to try and anonymously affect our election? Is that the bribery and corruption to which he referrs? I bet it isn’t.

  5. Anne 5
    20 September 2018 at 9:54 am

    Leighton Smith is a total dork. One eyed and one eared. He is a perfect example of the:

    Dunning Kruger Effect

  6. marty mars 6
    20 September 2018 at 10:12 am

    Tone deaf and part of why there still is a problem.

  7. mauī 7
    20 September 2018 at 10:22 am

    I fear simon may not be of this gender. A gender identity crisis possibly…

  8. veutoviper 8
    20 September 2018 at 11:02 am

    Putting aside the inappropriateness of Bridges posing in that way in front of two female MPS – including one whose great-grandfather (?) was an MP who voted for women’s suffrage – there is another very interesting aspect to those two photos.

    From their clothing, those photos were taken on Tuesday, 18 Sept, not yesterday Suffrage Day. (As a female, I notice these things!)

    Of greater interest, Paula Bennett was not in the House yesterday and did not take part in Question Time or any of the speeches in the House during the special one hour Suffrage debate or the usual Wednesday General Debate which followed *.

    Nor was Paula Bennett in this historic photo taken yesterday in the Reading Room in the Parliamentary Library in a re-creation of the photo taken in 1905 at the second link below.

    https://www.facebook.com/NZParliament/photos/pcb.1825358974184150/1825357160850998/?type=3&theater

    https://www.facebook.com/NZParliament/photos/pcb.1825358974184150/1825357170850997/?type=3&theater

    * Women speakers predominated in both debates with David Seymour the only male who spoke in the Suffrage Debate as ACT obviously have no female MPs but were still entitled to a speech slot. IMO Seymour spoke well, devoting much of his speech to admiration for the strength of women and in particular his mother, who had overcome major disabilities from polio to go on to do many of the things she was told she would never do, including having children, driving and other similar.

    Winston Peters was also the only male to speak in the General Debate, following Melissa Lee who is up there with Leighton Smith and Bridges in devotiing her speech at No 1 in the General Debate to her usual pulling down of Curran. She could not leave that for even one day – as Peters pointed out in no uncertain terms.

    • Anne 8.1
      20 September 2018 at 11:25 am

      Of greater interest, Paula Bennett was not in the House yesterday and did not take part in Question Time or any of the speeches in the House during the special one hour Suffrage debate or the usual Wednesday General Debate which followed *.

      Nor was Paula Bennett in this historic photo taken yesterday…

      That’s interesting – being the Deputy Leader and a woman, one would think that yesterday was a must attendance. Of courses she might have been sick with a cold or flu, but has anyone in the media commented on her absence?

      • Dukeofurl 8.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 11:54 am

        Paula made some history of her own a while back, when she was founder of the Napier Tattoo Club, that was in her truck stop waitress days.

        “At its height the club had more than 100 members, many of them truckers and bikers, and things would sometimes get a bit wild.

        “She remembers the respectable part of it, then she glosses over the rest by saying she fell in with the wrong crowd. I say she was a perfect fit for the crowd – and they weren’t a bad crowd at all.”
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/94627131/one-lied-one-says-she-never-did-the-untold-backstories-of-political-leaders-paula-bennett-and-metiria-turei

        • veutoviper 8.1.1.1
          20 September 2018 at 12:33 pm

          Yeah,, yeah, Duke.

          Most of us all know about Bennett and others’ pasts etc, etc. But for us females, this is a big week where I hope we can put aside just for a few days, the negativity, the dissing, the political differences etc and just have a little bit of positive celebration instead.

          We know that suffrage 125 years ago was not all positive but it was a huge step forward, and while we are not completely there yet (eg pay equity etc) major progress has been made and we have every right to celebrate these steps forward as we go.

          So Grinchs – whether male or female – please, please let it go for just a few days. That includes Bill at 9 below and you at 10.

          • Dukeofurl 8.1.1.1.1
            20 September 2018 at 12:51 pm

            hello … it was you who were finding fault with Bennett
            “From their clothing, those photos were taken on Tuesday, 18 Sept, not yesterday Suffrage Day. (As a female, I notice these things!)”

            really , you find a womens clothing on a particular day a reason to criticise? What ever the background could be could you just leave clothes or even a hair style out of it.

            Thats right , ‘women notice these things’ … thats bloody why they have to be ‘careful’ about what they wear when even other women are only too quick to find a fault on appearance grounds.

            • veutoviper 8.1.1.1.1.1
              20 September 2018 at 1:40 pm

              Pointing out that the clothes they were wearing in the photos were what they wore on Tuesday, not Wednesday is NOT criticising.

              It was to point out that the photos must have been taken on Tuesday – not Wednesday. Nothing more and nothing less.

              Did I make any other comment judging the clothing? No.

              Did I make any comment about their hair? No.

              Did I make any comment about weight? No.

              Did I make any comment about any other aspect of their appearance etc? No.

              I am very careful about these things because as a woman, I have been subject to such judgemental comments and criticisms myself and try very hard not to do it to others.

              The only judgement I made was the way that Bridges posed in front of the two women.

              PS – Also see para 4 of my comment at 8.1.2 below. I am actually quite sad that, no matter her background and political leanings, Paula was not there yesterday to take part in the Suffrage celebrations – and I hope that all is well with her.

              • Dukeofurl …
                20 September 2018 at 2:46 pm

                You were using her clothing to judge her. Ill leave it at that as it speaks for itself.
                “From their clothing, those photos were taken on Tuesday, 18 Sept, not yesterday”
                You did what you did
                At least I judged her on her actions, as it should be.

                • Sacha …
                  20 September 2018 at 3:30 pm

                  You recycled irrelevant gossip about Bennett’s past.

                  V V theorised that the photo must have been taken a day earlier because of the clothes matching.

                  Gee, which one of you might be dragging a woman down?

                  • Dukeofurl …
                    20 September 2018 at 4:09 pm

                    Theorised ?

                    Is there a branch of feminist theory that bases its conclusions on ‘what they wear ‘?

                    Unlike you sacha, I base my comments on what VV said – which was a nonsensical view on it being ‘the wrong day’ for a photo as if that was worth saying anyway

                    • Sacha …
                      20 September 2018 at 5:09 pm

                      It has nothing to do with feminism. Please learn to read before you open your gob.

                    • Dukeofurl …
                      20 September 2018 at 5:30 pm

                      read ?

                      “Is there ” was my sarcasm about your ‘theorising’ comment , that has a meaning too
                      ”
                      If you theorise that something is true or theorise about it, you develop an abstract idea or set of ideas about something in order to explain it.”- Collins English dictionary

                      You cant tie your own shoelaces let alone opine that a wardrobe change is somehow an ‘abstract idea or set of ideas.’

                • veutoviper …
                  20 September 2018 at 3:41 pm

                  For goodness sake, I take it that you have never worked in any form of investigative work such as a policeman, detective, private investigator, other form of investigation etc – or been a witness. If the latter, and it involved for example, someone being sought, you would have been asked to give details of the person,- height, hair, skin colour, eye colour AND clothing including colour of their clothing.

                  On Tuesday, 18 Sept 2018, in the House:

                  Paula Bennett wore a white jacket and a dark grey/charcoal dress AND Simon Bridges wore a mid/dark blue suit with a white shirt and a striped grey tie –
                  https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=202726

                  Nicola Willis wore a white jacket and a candy pink dress –
                  https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=202764

                  These were the clothes they each wore in the photos.

                  On Wednesday, 19 September 2018 in the House:

                  Bennett was not in the House and Amy Adams sat in Bennett’s seat next to Bridges.

                  Adams wore a black jacket over a yellow dress and had the camellia brooch given to each female MP that day for Suffrage 125 on the lapel of her jacket.
                  https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=202792

                  Bridges wore a light blue/grey suit with shadow stripes with a white shirt and a diagonal check blue tie.
                  https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=202795

                  Willis wore a white dress with full or three quarter length sleeves and no jacket –
                  https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=202850

                  So, on the basis of the different clothing each person wore on Tues and Weds and Bennett’s absence on Wednesday, the photos were obviously taken on Tuesday – not Wednesday.

                  That is not judging them – it is reaching a probable conclusion on the basis of the evidence. As I said nothing more, nothing less.

                  • McFlock …
                    20 September 2018 at 5:25 pm

                    seems a reasonable inference to me.

                    Rather than actually commemorating the day, the tories did a photoshoot yesterday and posted it today. Not overly terrible, but it lacks something from actually doing it on the day. And soimon obviously didn’t give two shits.

                  • Dukeofurl …
                    20 September 2018 at 5:37 pm

                    Judging is exactly that
                    ‘ reaching a probable conclusion on the basis of the evidence’

                    • McFlock …
                      20 September 2018 at 5:41 pm

                      “Judging” the day on which photos were taken for commemorative tweets posted on another day is not the same as “judging” people for wearing clothes of a particular type.

      • veutoviper 8.1.2
        20 September 2018 at 12:13 pm

        I cannot find a peep about Paula Bennett and her absence yesterday.

        She hasn’t tweeted since doing a couple of re-tweets on Tuesday, and I can find no recent press mentions, interviews etc in the last few days. There has also been quite a turnover in the Parliamentary Press Gallery composition since the election. While some of the older stalwarts (Tracy Watkins, Claire Trevett, etc) are still there, they don’t tend to tweet often – and the gossip group (Katie Bradford, Andrea Vance, Jo Moir etc) who used to be good for finding things out via Twitter are no longer there! The guys still there who do tweet (Sam Sachdeva, Henry Cooke etc) don’t tweet gossip, damn them. LOL

        Of interest, however, I have just checked today’s Oral Questions for QTime in the House. Being Thursday, Bridges and Ardern will not be in the House, but in addition there is no questions from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Bennett) to the Deputy PM (Peters). Cannot recall this for a very long time, so looking like she may not be there again today.

        It has crossed my mind whether it is to do with her op, as there are occasional problems with that op – eg Parekura Horomia had to have his reversed due to serious medical issues. Cannot stand Bennett, but would not wish her ill will such as that.

        PS – Chris Hipkins was also absent yesterday as apparently he and wife’s second child was born presumably by C-section as planned and he is now on parental leave for four weeks.

      • appleboy 8.1.3
        20 September 2018 at 12:42 pm

        Maybe she was ‘that texter’….

        • veutoviper 8.1.3.1
          20 September 2018 at 2:03 pm

          Even if she was, I would have hoped that the Bridges/Nats would at least have left it until after yesterday and let her participate in the historical Suffrage celebrations and photos that took place.

    • veutoviper 8.2
      20 September 2018 at 2:06 pm

      For anyone who wants to see a copy of the photo of the current women MPs in the Reading Room yesterday from a source other than Facebook, here is a link to one now on the Parliament website. This can be blown up for clarity.

      And it looks like the PM is holding something ….

      https://www.parliament.nz/media/5206/suffrage125-women-mps-and-original-photo-from-1905.png

      • Incognito 8.2.1
        20 September 2018 at 8:56 pm

        And it looks like the PM is holding someone ….

        FIFY

        Could be a historical image in the making.

        • veutoviper 8.2.1.1
          21 September 2018 at 1:21 pm

          Lol. Yes, more correct, but I thought I would leave a bit of mystery to see the reaction. I was really pleased to see it.

          As well as Paula Bennett being missing from that photo, I could also not find Collins although she was definitely around Parliament on Wednesday, including in the House. But could be my eyesight.

  9. Bill 9
    20 September 2018 at 11:51 am

    Yesterday was a day to rejoice, to celebrate the fact that 125 years ago our democracy was the first in the world to give women the vote.

    Except Chinese women. It’s convoluted, but it appears they didn’t get the right to vote until sometime in the mid 70s.

    Hmm. I wonder if Speights gave away celebratory mugs of piss to mark the anniversary? Probably not….

    Maybe if Cadbury’s had still been open, they’d have given out celebratory slabs of chocolate? Again. Probably not…

    What I find quite funny (or illuminating) is that if those opposed to women getting a vote had accommodated the initial call for women paying rates to be given the vote, then they might have delayed the wider roll out suffrage for quite some time.

    Anyway. Co-opting. A lesson since learned and applied quite successfully by “our masters” 😉

  10. Dukeofurl 10
    20 September 2018 at 12:05 pm

    That liar Leighton Smith gets it all wrong …again

    There was no ‘struggle for mens voting rights’

    “Then in 1879, after much debate, the franchise was extended to all adult European men, regardless of whether they owned or rented property (this was known as universal manhood suffrage).”

    That was before 1893 when when it was extended to women

    * As Bill points out those who were ‘aliens’ – not of British descent were excluded from the definition of universal.

    https://www.elections.org.nz/book/export/html/572

    The legislation for womans suffrage was blocked by the then Upper house many times, often by interests connected to the Breweries, as they were worried about women voting to bring in prohibition, which came very close in later years. So Speights would have been definitely opposed to women voting

  11. mosa 11
    20 September 2018 at 2:14 pm

    Leighton Smith is an odious windbag who takes pleasure in castigating anyone who does not agree with his perverted right wing attitude.

    He is clearly unhappy living under a centre” slightly” left government so he really should go back to Australia if he is that miserable.

    • Dukeofurl 11.1
      20 September 2018 at 2:42 pm

      Only a few more months….. as this is his final year on ZB.

      • Anne 11.1.1
        20 September 2018 at 3:15 pm

        He’ll go out with a bang for sure. There’ll be one last blitz on Climate Change denial for starters. The problem is: he’ll be lining himself up to do MSM opinion articles as we speak so – sadly – we won’t be rid of him.

        • Dukeofurl 11.1.1.1
          20 September 2018 at 4:02 pm

          he talks darkly about going ‘online’ – the only good thing about that is Veitch said the same and thankfully hasnt been heard of since. Maybe being an ‘online influencer’ isnt as easy as they think.

      • Johnr 11.1.2
        20 September 2018 at 6:59 pm

        On Moro this arvo Bernard Hickey implied that HDPA could be positioning herself for Smith’s job, with her click baiting. Not too shabby a supposition