Theresa May's childlessness - would this be an issue for a man?

[maggiethemagpie]

Much has been made of Theresa May's childless status in the run up to the PM elections.

Now it would seem Angela Leadsom has capitalised on this by inferring she has an edge over May as she has children.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/09/andrea-leadsom-under-fire-over-misquoted-motherhood-comments

Can anyone imagine this being an issue with male candidates? Does anyone even know if Gove has kids for example? Would it even matter?

Yet it sure seems to matter if a woman is running for PM!

FWIW Theresa May wanted kids, but couldn't have them and then this is apparantly being used against her.... by another woman.

Equality still has a long way to go.

Moonrise I agree - I imagine a Malcolm Tucker person marching them both down the aisle to make EM more electable

It was used in the Tory party previously. Much was made of IDS 'normal family man' versus Portillo.

But suppose it were Ed Milliband's partner/wife who was in politics? An unmarried woman with children, now there's a scandal for you.

I don't follow the idea deployed to differentiate the effect of these norms against Teresa May and Gordon Brown.

Men going for such roles are, overwhelmingly, married with kids, which does not support the notion that it is a +1 'bonus' for them. If the overwhelming majority do it, that tends to make it the expected norm - pretty much a minimum requirement.

I think you are right Oleanna. I miss having Malcolm Tucker on the TV - Oeter Capaldi at his sweary best

If Angela Eagle (gay in a civil partnership, no kids) challenges Jeremy Corbyn it will be interesting to see what the press makes of that.