Seven MPs speak out against toxic sexism in the UK parliament

In France, several media sequences recalled how the National Assembly was full of sexism, as it is a systemic discrimination that runs through the whole of society. We think in particular of the jokes against Cécile Duflot who had the audacity to wear a floral dress in the hemicycle in 2012, as well as the initiatives of the public law lawyer and former collaborator of elected officials Mathilde Viot (co-founder of the collaborator of the collective chair to denounce sexism to AN, participant of #MeTooPolitique at the origin of the revelations on the Damien Abad case, and author of the essay to end virilism in politics The politician, I make the compost). To put what is happening in France into perspective, we can look to our British neighbors where 7 MPs have just taken the floor to denounce sexism in Westminster.

7 out of 10 female MPs speak out against sexism in the UK parliament

The Fawcett Society, a gender equality charity, has surveyed British MPs about misogyny in Parliament over the past five years: half of men say they have witnessed it, compared with 69% of women. 3/4 of women say they keep their opinions silent on social media out of fear of being harassed online, compared to half of male MPs.

Male MPs ‘arrogate themselves the right to belittle women there’

Faced with these findings of 7 out of 10 female MPs speaking out against sexism in the UK parliament, the media The independent he rightly asked seven of them to testify. If one of them wished to remain anonymous, the others did so in his name, aware of the risk of reprisals. Among the more scandalous testimonies, Dawn Butler of the Workers’ Party recalled hypersexualizing comments because she had the misfortune of wearing fishnet tights:

“I received so many hypersexualized and misogynistic comments that I took off my tights and threw them in the trash and never wore fishnet tights again.

[…] The good news is that since #MeToo we no longer tolerate [le sexisme]. Some men are not advanced. They still think it’s okay to be sexist and misogynistic.

[…] Parliament was designed for men only and there is still this prevailing attitude that this is a place for men and women are just window displays. They claim the right to belittle the women there. »

‘I was sexually harassed in Westminster’

Congresswoman Caroline Nokes of the Conservative Party even mentions being touched inappropriately on several occasions, or even a minister quietly telling her she was only nominated because she had boobs:

” I was sexually harassed in Westminster. Over the past 12 years I have ignored many things and done nothing about it. I have reported some incidents to whips [le whip d’un parti est un député qui est choisi par son équipe pour être le chef d’équipe, ndlr]. The harsh reality is that we don’t have a system in place yet. We need individual political parties to work together to develop policies and protocols.

There have been numerous incidents where I have been touched inappropriately and inappropriate suggestions have been made about me. I don’t want to name names. I do not trust the systems in place in Parliament to deal with this adequately.

The reality is, nobody wants to talk about low-level micro-aggressions, they just care about the horrific stories of women being pinned to a wall by someone. They want to focus on blatant and disgusting stories of sexual harassment. »

“Predators everywhere taking advantage of their position”

Congresswoman Layla Moran he also denounces inappropriate gestures (an insistent hand on the leg) and evokes the presence of ” predators in all parts taking advantage of this location “. Congresswoman Jess Phillips abounds in the same direction: You are always entitled to low-level sexism. »

Another Congressman, Nadia Whittome, reports that male MPs address her looking in the bosom rather than in the eyes. An agent took the liberty of asking her if she was on Tinder and other intrusive questions. Like other deputies, she evokes a hyperawareness of her attire, necessarily scrutinized by the male gauzeand regrets not feeling in his place in Parliament due to the sexism that reigns there:

“It is as if Parliament is filled with a class and a kind of people who are sympathetic to each other. Things are much worse if you are a black woman. »

‘We need a different parliament’

Congresswoman Kate Osamor even denounces a work culture steeped in toxic virilism :

“Culture is going to the bar [tous les soirs], listen to and tell gossip and drink alcohol. Many MPs do not go home to their families. […] It’s unhealthy, there’s no separation, it is as if the bar became an extension of the parliamentary chamber.

[…] I want women who are non-political and outsider-looking — whether they’re black or working class — to be welcome. But they won’t be in a place where people view pornography or where women are sexually harassed or assaulted on the estate. We need a diverse parliament, we need it to represent the people. »

Cover photo: NenonJellyfish by Getty Images Signature