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Original poster

does anyone else find the spectacle of world leaders bringing wives to London and the laying on of a special dinner deeply disturbing?

91 replies

hatwoman · 01/04/2009 20:56

it's like the 1950s ffs. even putting aside the huge issue as to why so many of the world leaders are men how come they need a fecking spousal hand to hold? how come these woman haven;t got better stuff to do? when was the last time anyone on here had their partner come with them when they travel for business? or accompany their partner when he/she travels? it's just weird.

OP posts:
newgirl · 01/04/2009 22:56

it is so dated isnt it

perhaps if the world was in a great state economically, evironmentally etc then these trips would feel ok - as it is, it is an outrageous waste of money to bring spouses, and so many staff over - 500! on air force one! it is all ridiculous.

bagsforlife · 01/04/2009 23:15

Michelle IS very tall.

Queen IS very small.

Do you think Prince Philip has said anything racistembarrasing yet?

NotanOtter · 01/04/2009 23:17

my sentiments EXACTLY on watching the clips bagsforlife

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 01/04/2009 23:18

"But, I think the days of the wives being brought along to look pretty are long gone"

Sadly i wonder about this. BBC News showed a long lingering shot over Michelle Obama's sparkly top whilst she sat at a charity thing this afternoon. Very 1950s.

NotanOtter · 01/04/2009 23:21

depressing but true

jemart · 01/04/2009 23:29

If your husband was going off on a work trip to the other side of the world, and you get to meet celebs and royalty as well, wouldn't you find any excuse to go with him?

I know I would, much more fun than stopping home with the children.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 01/04/2009 23:34

Wives of world leaders don't tend to stay at home with the children. They're usually fairly impressive in their own right. Which is why I don't get this WAG pageantry.

bleh · 02/04/2009 06:52

I also found it a bit that they were referred to as WAGs by the Times, with a photo line-up and everything. I don't think Carla Bruni's come over. I wish I could take DP on business trips with me. at the moment I'm away on one, alone, and it sucks.

MrsJamin · 02/04/2009 07:51

this is scarily accurate representation of the g20 summit dinner! (following from nickytwotimes' comment)

UnquietDad · 02/04/2009 09:31

They are accompanying their husbands in an official capacity, as an important part of the diplomatic process. It's how politics works these days, like it or not.

Unless you'd all prefer them to be at home sewing quilts and ironing the tablecloths.

donnie · 02/04/2009 10:05

Sarah Brown does a fuck of a lot of work for charities and organisations working towards improving pregnancy and health services for women in developing countries actually - but quietly, without fanfare. Yesterday she and Michelle Obama were , in fact, visiting a cancer centre in Charing Cross Hospital.

Some of the posters on here clearly think they should stay at home and look after the kids though.

cestlavie · 02/04/2009 10:11

Jesus, I'm a guy, but if I was a woman I'd be pretty offended by posters calling these women WAGS. Michelle Obama has a law degree from Princeton and a post grad from Harvard, worked in a law firm and has been on the board of several charities. Sarah Brown set up her own PR firm and is on the board or patron of (I think) a domestic violence charity, a cancer charity and others. Seems pretty bloody impressive to me.

Given the access these women have to people of influence and given their backgrounds, abilities and interests, I'd have thought getting them together to think about initiatives would make a lot of sense. They'll probably achieve more today than their partners. And as I recall, Hilary Clinton almost managed to overhaul the entire US healthcare system whilst just being a WAG.

mrsruffallo · 02/04/2009 10:23

Of course they have a role in these things.
Quite insulting to suggest they will be shopping or not doing anything constructive on these visits

JustKeepSwimmingInChocolate · 02/04/2009 12:31

I don't think anyone's saying they should stay at home chained to the kitchen, are they?

Just that it's almost as insulting to them to be dragged along as the 'little wife.'
Then they all get together and go and drink cups of tea on 'soft' visits so the press can take photos of the 'wives.'
Whilst the 'real' press is following the men doing the real work

I think the idea was that they might actually prefer to stay at home with family/kids/jobs and enjoy some privacy.

PeachyLikesHerChoccyRabbit · 02/04/2009 12:35

Ah the bit that made me worry as the bit you set aside; why are they (almost) allmen?

And then Sarah Bron made tea for two - that was a challengingtask foran apparently intelligent woman!

Glad I'm not the only one (or the only one wh wanderd about Mr Merckel), hope yet then.

PeachyLikesHerChoccyRabbit · 02/04/2009 12:38

'Michelle Obama has a law degree from Princeton and a post grad from Harvard, worked in a law firm and has been on the board of several charities. Sarah Brown set up her own PR firm and is on the board or patron of (I think) a domestic violence charity, a cancer charity and others. Seems pretty bloody impressive to me. '

Well yes precisely

So they can do (and maybe do, but it should be covered by the rpess rather than tea making) an awfullot more for teh agenda.

Spouses seem to be almost voted on as much as the aprtners these days, utilise that then.

MmeLindt · 02/04/2009 13:05

Have you seen this? Meet the Fluffies (that's the First Ladies who understand fashion)?

That is what is so annoying. I don't think that they should stay home but it is patronising in the extreme to call them Fluffies, FFS.

It would be great if, alongside the articles about what they are wearing, the press could concentrate on some of the work that the women do.

I accept that as the spouse of a world leader that you are going to find it difficult to carry on life as normal, but surely they should not be reduced to Fluffies.

newgirl · 02/04/2009 13:09

but the point is that they are not involved in any of the discussions and the democratic process. They are impressive, intelligent women and I would prefer it if they were. Nothing they say will have any impact on international policy. In this context they are here to show that their husbands are appealing. its a very old-fashioned view.

It is nice that they are visiting a hospital but it will change nothing. Its pure pr.

wasabipeanut · 02/04/2009 13:15

Newgirl they can't be involved in the discussions and democratic process because they aren't elected. The likes of Sarah Brown and Michelle Obama are using theit intelligence and influence to quietly raise money and awareness for maternal health charities etc. as several have already pointed out.

Perhaps over these dinners they try and persuade some more powerful and influential people to get on board with that. Where is the problem there?

And on a practical level shopping isn't a bad idea either - those who have money need to spend it because no other bugger is.

Admittedly my pov is skewed by my ginourmous girl crush on the divine Mrs O but there it is.

Original poster
hatwoman · 02/04/2009 17:02

some interesting comments....

of course many of these women are indeed impressive (you'd have to have been asleep not to realise that)...what gets me is the fundamental imbalance that means that when a (heterosexual) man stands for election his female partner is seen as part of the package. ie there are times when she is expected to play supportive wife. (whether she's a sahm or a brilliant Princeton-educated lawyer) but when a (heterosexual) woman is elected it is pretty much expected that her male partner will continue his independent life as normal (although I'll acknowledge that this is changing and there are increasing numbers of visible political husbands).

I'm not (as mrsR suggests) insulting them, as individuals, saying they're not doing anything constructive. visiting hopsitals and cancer charities is, of course, constructive. I'm saying firstly that them being there at all is difficult to understand - and I can only conclude that it has something to do with their gender and this rather dated view where the public expects male leaders to be supported by their female partners. And secondly - quite the opposite of insulting them - that I think they could achieve more by getting on with their jobs and leaving dh to it - rather than trying to influence people over dinners.

OP posts:
Suedonim · 02/04/2009 17:39

Well, I am enormously that Angela Merkel has a husband. I always thought she was gay and had a wife.

JustKeepSwimmingInChocolate · 02/04/2009 17:42

From Wiki:
In 1977, Angela Kasner married physics student Ulrich Merkel. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982.[28] Her second husband is quantum chemist and professor Joachim Sauer. He remains out of the spotlight. She has no children, but Sauer has two adult sons. [29]

I'm with you Hatwoman on this.
I hope the wives get to go shopping if they want, all that polite smalltalk at the dinners must be tedious so may as well make the most of a trip to London

Nighbynight · 02/04/2009 17:52

JustSwimming's summed up my point of view, cos I think some other people misunderstood a bit.

Queenoftheharpies · 02/04/2009 17:55

Do you remember a few weeks back when Andy Burnham (culture secretary I think) attended the unveiling of the statue of the queen mother, and his wife got an absolute pasting from the daily mail for wearing the wrong outfit?

I remember thinking then that if I was Mrs. Burnham I'd be hacked off about having to take the afternoon off work and buy a whole new set of clothes - especially for the queen mother. I'm not surprised she just dug out something she'd worn to a wedding.

Social functions is one thing, but it's the idea that they have to traipse around looking decorative as if they don't have anything better to do that's annoying.

We've had single PMs before (think Ted Heath was the last one) but they are definitely viewed as being a bit odd. OK, Ted Heath was quite odd but not because of being single...

And breathe....

BonsoirAnna · 02/04/2009 17:57

Those of you who agree with the OP must all have really crap relationships with your DHs!

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