New Zealand Prime Minister endures ‘creepy’ sexist interview with 60 Minutes journalist
It may be 2018, yet humankind still falls short when it comes to treating women like they are human beings.
It’s a wild concept, this notion of equality. It’s almost as if women just want the same social, political, and economic rights as men.
And even for the women who beat the odds to get to the top, like… even Prime Ministers, there’s still an entire category of sexism branded just for them.
So Jacinda Ardern may be the Prime Minister of, um, an entire flippin’ country called New Zealand, but naturally, that didn’t stop Australian journalist Charles Wooley being a complete and utter creepy to her in an interview.
“I’ve met a lot of prime ministers in my time. But none so young, not too many so smart, and never one so attractive,” commented the salivating journo during an interview with Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford for 60 Minutes.
"I've met a lot of prime ministers in my time. But none so young, not too many so smart, and never one so attractive." New Zealanders are extremely unimpressed by an Australian journalist's interview with Jacinda Ardern https://t.co/Jlsc1gCtZW pic.twitter.com/q48trvQQnw
— Guardian Australia (@GuardianAus) February 26, 2018
While Ardern faltered at the comment, Wooley struggled to take the hint, and then asked the couple when the pregnant Prime Minister and her TV presenter partner conceived the child, saying that “many people had wondered”.
Luckily, the Twitterverse appeared to have more sense than Wooley, and recognised that this line of questioning was inappropriate not only towards a woman, but a political leader full stop.
This is cringeworthy.
Of course, such interviews are common with male politicians when their partners are expecting a child, so it's all fair.
Oh wait. Such weird ass crap has never been inflicted on a male politician.— Psyberus (@Psyberus) February 26, 2018
Is Charles Wooley past it? Seems a very sexist interview, even creepy can't imagine him asking a male PM these questions. Get with the times. https://t.co/OXumHkTIVv— Howard Williams (@howardw46) February 26, 2018
Dear New Zealand ??, our best mate, you know how everyone has a creepy Uncle you need to avoid at Xmas parties? Sorry we got him to interview your PM. Please tell @jacindaardern we reckon it was gross.
Love, Australia ?? https://t.co/B9Bz3AQRsk— Belinda Barnet (@manjusrii) February 26, 2018
Charles Woolley is bloody painful. Was interested in the Jacinda Ardern interview on 60 Minutes but he made it cringeworthy.
— Reg Roberts (@RugbyReg) February 25, 2018
Ardern said that the comments about her attractiveness were nothing new, but she was “not particularly offended or fazed by the interview as a whole”.
Let’s hope that Wooley takes the mighty, obvious hint.
