NRT: Our misogynistic political media

Written By: - Date published: 6:25 pm, June 23rd, 2014 - 44 comments
Categories: election 2014, labour, making shit up, Media - Tags: , ,

no-right-turn-256Reposted from No Right Turn.

In previous elections, the major parties have submitted lists heavily dominated by men, and this passes without comment. This year, Labour has submitted one with a slight imbalance (53:47) towards women. The reaction is sadly predictable:

Labours women

Not mentioned: Labour’s list is gender-balanced up to position 40; that slight imbalance comes from the bottom, unelectable end of the list and will not translate into caucus places. Meanwhile, its electorate candidates are heavily male. The interaction of these facts is expected to produce a caucus which is roughly 45% female. But again, let’s not let that fact get in way of some good misogyny. Men’s “right” to dominate politics is under threat! Labour women are going to cut your penis off! To the barricades!

And seriously: Labour should be congratulated for trying to ensure a caucus that properly represents the 50% of New Zealand with two “X” chromosomes, and I look forward to the day when they actually get there.

44 comments on “NRT: Our misogynistic political media ”

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  1. Colonial Viper 1
    23 June 2014 at 6:47 pm

    Bejezus, it might be crappy for the MSM to take this angle, but it’s also the perfect media springboard for Labour to introduce these candidates to a voting public who doesn’t know them. In other words, act as if gender balance is what every modern political party should do as a matter of routine, and sell the living daylights out of how Labour is rapidly changing and rejuvenating with brilliant new talent to meet the expectations and aspirations of governing a modern progressive NZ!!!

    FFS Lefties, the media reaction is a fucking gift horse, get on and ride it to the finish line, stop looking for fillings.

    • Liberal Realist 1.1
      23 June 2014 at 7:50 pm

      +10.

      Even if only a small margin of voters are persuaded to vote Labour over Nact due to this policy (and list), it’s win!

    • Stephanie Rodgers 1.2
      23 June 2014 at 8:55 pm

      It seems like a simple conclusion to draw, except for the facts of the matter: Stuff was not interested in talking about who these women candidates are, or what their qualifications are. The first photo in the actual article is of Tamati Coffey. Priyanca Radhakrishnan and Rachel Jones are the only two of the women pictured to be mentioned in the article, with brief job descriptions.

      Many people outside of the media have been discussing what a great lineup Labour has and have been promoting the candidates’, and especially the women’s, talents and qualifications. But it’s completely justified to point out the shallow, shoddy response from the mainstream media who can only see as far as the phrase “man ban”.

      • Colonial Viper 1.2.1
        23 June 2014 at 9:55 pm

        Yep. You correctly pointed out the facts of the pathetic Stuff reaction. I pointed out a media strategy to take advantage of that.

    • tinfoilhat 1.3
      23 June 2014 at 9:49 pm

      Yep, don’t see what the problem is.

    • Ennui 1.4
      24 June 2014 at 1:40 pm

      Never seen the MSM complain about too many men. Of course men are more talented because they are picked on merit, the MSM and National says this so its got to be true!

    • Skottowe 1.5
      24 June 2014 at 2:40 pm

      @ Colonial Viper: “FFS Lefties, the media reaction is a fucking gift horse, get on and ride it to the finish line, stop looking for fillings.”

      Hear, hear! Don’t talk about “merit” as if it has to apply specifically to women: nobody talks about that apropos lists in which men predominate. We already know that women can walk and chew gum at the same time.

      And could the Left please refrain from being apologetic, as I’ve heard in the past. Just straightforwardly promote the list. AND the policies.

  2. FutureisRed 2
    23 June 2014 at 6:50 pm

    100% agree!

  3. Philj 3
    23 June 2014 at 7:01 pm

    xox
    But how do you get the MSM to bother with any positive Labour stories? They ain’t going to play that game.

    • karol 3.1
      23 June 2014 at 7:06 pm

      Exactly. It’s just being used as another stick to beat Labour with. If National had come up with a 50/50 list, or even if it was 60% female, the MSM would be celebrating its genius.

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.1
        23 June 2014 at 7:35 pm

        Yep. And you can’t change that fact because that is what the corporate MSM do. So the media strategy is to capitalise on it, feed it, and spin it positively your way.

        Get the new up and comer women doing panels and radio interviews together and separately, soft media in the womens magazines together and separately, joint/solo events around science, engineering, industry policy – Labour is breaking the mould, revitalising and making a new, better one.

        It’s 89 days to the election day, Labour and the Left need a positive campaign from this point in, moaning about misogynistic media is fine if you want to stay on a negative foot while Key comes back knighted and glowing from D.C.

        • weka 3.1.1.1
          23 June 2014 at 8:05 pm

          True, but I haven’t seen Labour moaning yet. And NRT’s job is to be critical.

          • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.1.1
            23 June 2014 at 8:08 pm

            Agreed. Waiting to see how the Labour media strategy plays out over the next 1 week to introduce these new candidates to us.

        • Jilly Bee 3.1.1.2
          23 June 2014 at 8:12 pm

          Deborah Russell is on Nat Rad in about half an hour (8.45pm) talking about domestic violence. I have sent Deborah a message via Facebook about a family member’s problems.

  4. Grumpy 4
    23 June 2014 at 7:52 pm

    Not even any form of bio info on the Labour website. Amateurs.

    • Colonial Viper 4.1
      23 June 2014 at 7:59 pm

      Hmmm, that’s not great.

    • Clemgeopin 4.2
      23 June 2014 at 9:32 pm

      I agree! The Labour website should have had all the pictures, bios and achievements of each of these list candidates by now, with special prominence and top billing for all the NEW candidates. An opportunity missed. Still there is time. Needs to be done asap like tomorrow if not today. Surely the committee will have all the info with them any way!
      I went to the website
      https://www.labour.org.nz/media/labour-list-2014
      to check and all they have is the list!

      • Anne 4.2.1
        23 June 2014 at 10:17 pm

        Hang on… the list is only a day old. Remember the Labour Party Headquarters is seriously under-staffed. They don’t have the money to hire extra staff. And also remember they have had to troll through a massive amount of records – electronic and otherwise – because of the Liu affair. I see they’ve hired a sympathetic lawyer to check all their records again for these (fictitious?) donations, so that should give them time to attend to other matters.

      • JK 4.2.2
        23 June 2014 at 10:24 pm

        Go to Scoop , Clemgeopin. Okay, they haven’t put up the full bios, but on the press release to Scoop Labour has put up bios for some of the most prominent new List people – the ones they think will be getting in. Interesting reading.

  5. red blooded 5
    23 June 2014 at 7:54 pm

    Come out swinging on this issue. Why are most parties so heavily dominated by men? What are they doing to ensure a more representative parliament? What sort of message are they sending the young women and men of our nation about gender roles and relationships..?

    • Colonial Viper 5.1
      23 June 2014 at 8:01 pm

      With all due respect. That’s a really stupid approach which makes it clear that Labour doesn’t have any idea what its bringing to the electorate this election.

  6. blue leopard 6
    23 June 2014 at 8:00 pm

    I think it might pay to scratch a little deeper on this one. I think this is less sexist and more the same old stuff from a media not willing to acknowledge or unable to read the smart moves being taken by Labour.

    I don’t know if Cunliffe just reads up on current trends a lot, listens to the advice of those who research for and advise him, or is naturally clued into contemporary trends – that are systematically being ignored by others. Perhaps it is a combination of all these things but I think Cunliffe continues to show has his finger of the pulse on contemporary developments. I think this is where he particularly stands out heads and shoulders from other leaders of Labour to date, not solely that he sees contemporary trends – that he has the courage to make changes in response to these trends.

    For example how he has speaken out on how neo-liberalism is failing, how he knows that people are getting fed up with the same old, how he has reintroduced the narrative of ‘values’ (I’ll bet he reads Michael Sandel) and also that he is prepared to do something about these things and now this.

    Here is a clue:

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jun/22/women-speak-out-parliament-sexist-masculine-mumsnet?CMP=fb_gu

    I believe this move should address some of the issues putting some people off voting and also this move is likely to take some votes off National too. I seem to recall that it was noted earlier on when Key first got elected that National was attracted more of the female vote than is usual for their party. Therefore it is important to find ways to get these females identifying with Labour again. Having more women is a way of addressing that. This move ‘kills two birds with one stone’.

    I am suggesting that whilst it may appear sexist the way media have commented on the lifting of the numbers of female politicians being pursued by Labour – it is possibly more accurate to view it as a type of dog-whistle that the media are conducting. This has been reported in this way to detract from what is really going on. Labour are making moves that hits National where they are weakest. The media are either to thick to work this out or they have worked it out and are quietly framing it in a manner that will detract from the real strength in this move.

    What do others think?

    I say well done Labour.

  7. dimebag russell 7
    23 June 2014 at 8:28 pm

    Aristotle said there is no arguing against someone who is determined not to listen.
    The tories dont want to listen.
    all they want to do is spoil and confabulate and tell bloody lies.
    The people of New Zealand are getting bloody sick of this.

    • blue leopard 7.1
      23 June 2014 at 8:31 pm

      +1
      “The people of New Zealand are getting bloody sick of this.”
      Sure hope they are – I certainly am 😀

  8. Tautoko Viper 8
    23 June 2014 at 8:28 pm

    National cabinet- Not exactly a cross-section of
    our community but has Stuff pointed this out?

    1 Rt Hon John Key
    2 Hon Bill English
    3 Hon Gerry Brownlee
    4 Hon Steven Joyce
    5 Hon Judith Collins
    6 Hon Tony Ryall
    7 Hon Hekia Parata
    8 Hon Christopher Finlayson
    9 Hon Paula Bennett
    10 Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman.
    11 Hon Murray McCully
    12 Hon Anne Tolley
    13 Hon Dr Nick Smith
    14 Hon Tim Groser
    15 Hon Amy Adams
    16 Hon Nathan Guy
    17 Hon Craig Foss
    18 Hon Simon Bridges.
    19 Hon Nikki Kay.
    20 Hon Michael Woodhouse

    Ministers Outside Cabinet

    21 Hon Jo Goodhew

    22 Hon Chester Borrows
    23 Hon Todd McClay
    24 Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
    25 Hon Nicky Wagner

    Congratulations, Labour, on providing us with a list of people who are keen to represent all members of the community and not just the well-off.

    I have found it downright scary that the top 20 Cabinet ministers listed above were the ones who were able to make the decision to ratify the TPP and I hope that the latest news that this may not happen in 2014 is correct. It is imperative that NZers vote out this govt before it does even more damage.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/

    • dan1 8.1
      23 June 2014 at 9:32 pm

      Is it Hon or Con? When will the NZ electorate wake up to the rip off that the NACT has enacted?

      • srylands 8.1.1
        23 June 2014 at 10:03 pm

        “When will the NZ electorate wake up to the rip off that the NACT has enacted?”

        I would place money on 2020.

        • framu 8.1.1.1
          24 June 2014 at 8:24 am

          so you agree they are ripping us off then

          good – you cant back away from that – ever.

          The internet remembers

  9. Tamati 9
    23 June 2014 at 9:24 pm

    I was surprised how quickly this went up and down on Stuff. Maybe a call from higher up? Fairfax is led by a woman I believe.

  10. Clemgeopin 10
    23 June 2014 at 9:38 pm

    “Labour women are going to cut your penis off!”

    Oh dear! I hope not!

  11. fisiani 11
    23 June 2014 at 9:54 pm

    National cares about what lies between your ears. Equality of opportunity
    Labour is obsessed with what lies between your legs. As if that matters.
    Says it all really.

    • Colonial Viper 11.1
      23 June 2014 at 9:58 pm

      Funny, it always strikes me that its actually the Righties who are most concerned about what is between peoples legs, and what happens then in their own bedrooms.

    • blue leopard 11.2
      24 June 2014 at 12:14 am

      Congratulations for saying the exact opposite of how things are Fisiani – you have achieved a resounding success in that department with that comment.

    • Delia 11.3
      24 June 2014 at 9:16 pm

      Where do you think Labour get their vote from. Women. I was born in 1957 and it was only in the 1990’s that New Zealand women began to make any impact in politics. There was two women at the most in parliament all the years I grew up. Women were passed over at committee meetings, not because of merit but because of sex. So I say right on to this policy.

  12. Tom Jackson 12
    23 June 2014 at 10:35 pm

    It’s not like the paper had cheesecake photos of them (“Girls of Labour”). They all look like regular women who happen to be politicians. It’s pretty diverse when it comes to age and ethnicity too.

    It could have been worse. If they’d put some of the dudes in the picture we might have had to see Trevor’s ugly mug.

  13. infused 13
    24 June 2014 at 1:26 am

    Wow.

    Anything you guys won’t complain about? Finally get some good air time and you bitch about it? Jesus.

    • felix 13.1
      24 June 2014 at 7:57 am

      Yeah bloody women don’t know when they’ve got it good GAVE them the bloody vote not even allowed to rape your wife since 1985 it’s PC GAAAWWWNNNNN MAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. RedBaronCV 14
    24 June 2014 at 7:46 am

    So what is the MSM really saying. That only blokes should be allowed to buy newspapers and it’s very gracious of them to allow second best women to purchase one too?

    What are the Nats really saying: We pick the best person for the job and hey by the way this means we think by our selections that all the women are second best?

  15. vto 15
    24 June 2014 at 9:00 am

    But what will be the effect on the country if Parliament and government has more women?

    • TeWhareWhero 15.1
      24 June 2014 at 9:22 am

      More women might make parliament a more pleasant place to work but the impact on the country depends on their personal ethics and their political philosophy – e.g. a parliament with 50% of Thatchers, or the NZ equivalents, would be a disturbing prospect.

      One of my measures is the extent to which prospective MPs (female and male) understand – and support – the concept of equal pay for work of equal value.

      To me, someone who shortens their life, places themselves at real risk of injury or death at work – and who does an essential job (one without which the enterprise could not function) – should be paid more than someone whose work is in a safe and comfortable environment and is non-essential. In other words, a tree-feller would earn more than the CEO of the company he works for.

  16. TeWhareWhero 16
    24 June 2014 at 9:07 am

    “National cares about what lies between your ears. Equality of opportunity
    Labour is obsessed with what lies between your legs. As if that matters.
    Says it all really.”

    This is about as silly a statement as I have ever read – on every level and by any measure it is as stupendously stupid as it is completely fallacious.

  17. guven sağlar 17
    26 June 2014 at 1:54 am

    Yes, I see what the problem is. 🙁

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