Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have quite enjoyed the Legs-it headline

111 replies

smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 19:36

I may regret posting this.....

I am a proud feminist who reads The Observer and am currently rereading a biography of Mary Wollstonecraft.

I am very depressed about Brexit and usually really hate The Daily Mail.

I saw the photo of May and Sturgeon yesterday and thought for a moment "ooh who knew they both had nice legs?" And vaguely thought it was nice to see two somewhat older women expressing both power and sexuality.

Then when I saw the headline today I smiled.

I thought it wasn't like the 70s at all. Not one little bit.

Just want to put an alternative feminist perspective.

Like I said, I may regret this but I do think Private Eye would have got away with this.

OP posts:
AmysTiara · 28/03/2017 20:00

Couldn't give a shit what their legs are like. Neither do you I suspect op.

SukeyTakeItOffAgain · 28/03/2017 20:01

You're not a proud feminist.

Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:01

Maybe it was because I saw the footage before seeing anything related to the DM IYSWIM.

it was a sort of "god-this-is-depressing-but-on......

OP posts:
Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:04

Sorry, it was a

"God this is depressing but on the bright side it's two women looking fine and - kind of sexy yet powerful and completely the age they are and hey they are actually powerful too and that's good"

Moment.

It cheered me up a bit.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 28/03/2017 20:05

If it had been a photo from a normal camera angle, with no stupid headline or 'stilletos at dawn' crap (let alone whatever it was Sarah Vine had to say - I haven't read it but presumably not much to do with serious politics) then maybe a picture of two senior women politicians wearing normal women's clothes would have been absolutely fine. (still would have been better with Ruth Davidson in it)

ShiroiKoibito · 28/03/2017 20:05

hahahaha............................

babybythesea · 28/03/2017 20:13

I was annoyed by the highly predictable "You need to get a sense of humour" response. Standard reply if you actually have no reasoned defence for yourself so fall back on the fact that you have an oh-so-marvellous sense of humour which others clearly lack. I am more than capable of seeing a joke. This just didn't look anything like that.
Either (a) women are equal to men, in which case what they are wearing and how their legs look is irrelevant (or is as commented on as much for blokes as women, which clearly doesn't happen), or (b)they aren't, so what they are wearing is fully up for debate. Which is a worrying scenario when the women involved are discussing the future of the country. Which do you want it to be because it can't be both?

My personal theory is that although the Fail likes to think it is a serious newspaper, in fact, it isn't proven by the fact that it put such a laughable (laughing at it, not with it) 'headline' on the article, when the future of the union was the subject up for discussion. By defending it as funny, the Fail has shown it is not a serious newspaper but a rag to be laughed at with it's weird stance on women politicians clothing. I knew this anyway but it's nice to have it confirmed!

MangoSplit · 28/03/2017 20:29

OP, I get what you're saying (I think) in that the photo (on its own) was a brilliant antidote to the recent pic of Trump surrounded by men making changes to legislation affecting women. Not one but two female leaders! I'm not a Tory or SNP voter, but it made me feel proud.

The headline, however, did not Angry

Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:31

Thanks Mango.

Yes I would agree with that.

I haven't actually read the DM article.

OP posts:
Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:35

I think I reacted differently because of the order in which I saw it and (weird or not) because I had thought "cor nice legs ladies" myself.

Maybe I have secret crushes on women a bit older than me who express their identity as sexual people without like altering their bodies and faces from what they naturally are and without giving away any power.

So yes, I'm a proud feminist.

OP posts:
nauticant · 28/03/2017 20:36

Like I said, I may regret this but I do think Private Eye would have got away with this.

By sheer coincidence that is exactly what Sarah Vine said on the radio earlier.

Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:39

Yes, I thought it was a fair point.

OP posts:
ShatnersBassoon · 28/03/2017 20:42

I think all politicians should focus a bit more on being sexy and appealing. They should stop trying to just do their job and really inject some glamour into all those boring meetings.

I love the photos of Trump and all his male colleagues looking so manly and capable. It really makes the fact that the whole world is going to shit feel a bit sexier and more fun.

ActuallyThatsSUPREMECommander · 28/03/2017 20:44

Private Eye would have made a joke with a political point. "Ooh they're both ladies with lady bits!" is not a political point.

I think there's a big big difference between eg a MN thread saying "gosh I hope I have legs as good as TM when I'm her age" which is shallow but hell we're all shallow sometimes, and the front page of what pretends to be a national newspaper reducing two national leaders to their body parts.

greenlavender · 28/03/2017 20:44

I want to see Corbyn's legs

ShatnersBassoon · 28/03/2017 20:46

Like I said, I may regret this but I do think Private Eye would have got away with this.

Quickly google 'satire' when you get a minute.

ActuallyThatsSUPREMECommander · 28/03/2017 20:46

Here you go lavender
Not bad legs but the socks are not a great choice.

To have quite enjoyed the Legs-it headline
Scholes34 · 28/03/2017 20:49

Even hearing it reported on the radio was enough to make me groan, and the photo as I imagined it was exactly as it was.

Sexual identity is irrelevant (or at least it should be) when it comes to a possible second Scottish referendum and Brexit.

CheesyChristie · 28/03/2017 20:52

It was just nasty and truly belittling to women. I'm sure you know that Sarah OP and are just being a goady fucker.

Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:55

Ok, well thanks to those who took me in good faith, which is the way I intend this.

OP posts:
angelcakerocks · 28/03/2017 20:56

well said babybythesea

Scholes34 · 28/03/2017 20:58

OP - I think you just don't get it.

Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 20:58

"Having watched Julia Gillard constantly fight overt and also subtle sexism because many people in Australia secretly believed she couldn't do the job properly as she was a woman and wanted to undermine her at every turn, I wholeheartedly disagree with you. Focusing on powerful women's decorative status as the headline is a way of saying "back in your laydee box"."

Thank you for this. I don't know if I see it that way. It has been remarkable how little May is attacked.

Maybe I am imputing my own nice reaction to the DM. I don't know.

OP posts:
Original poster
smashedinductionhob · 28/03/2017 21:00

Scholes you may be right. No one is right all the time.

I suppose my reaction to the photo was influenced by the photographer.

OP posts:
PuntCuffin · 28/03/2017 21:01

When would you ever see a photo of two male politicians taken from that low angle to emphasise the legs? You can make a point about two women in powerful positions who have 'retained their femininity' without trying to get a camera angle that is virtually peering up their skirts.