Ahhhhg, THAT Steve Bell cartoon

[ethelb]

I don't know if there has been a thread about this and the pure misogyny in it: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2017/jan/26/steve-bell-uk-us-theresa-may-donald-trump-cartoon

Yes there was homophobic satire around Blair and Bush (and Trump and Putin) but all of those implied a degree of consent to the situation.

Theresa May is not the first and won't be the last PM to have her dealings with US foreign policy criticised. And with good reason.

But for some reason, this particular Prime Minister gets anal rape jokes 6 months into her premiership? And my Facebook is full of the menz who think it is all totes hilare, and are mortally wounded if anyone suggests it is misogynistic.

A week after the women's march people. A fucking week!

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

I don't understand what her 'holding his hand' has to do with anything. She didn't actually, he grabbed it (because he is a misogynistic wanker with no boundaries around women's bodies

It has nothing to do with it other than poster Itwasthenandstillis wants to blame TM for not , in front of the world's media, throwing his hand off and telling him not to.

[Xenophile]

Trump will have been vetted, very thoroughly, before he even accepted the GOP nomination. The security agencies in every country will have a very clear idea of every single repulsive thing he's ever done.

There is a difference between being vetted and being a suitable person.

[ChipsForSupper]

The hand holding was nothing to do with slopes or stairs - it was a deliberate action of dominance which forced TM to accept his boundaries - which is, of course, what he will force most of the Western world, but Britain in particular, to do. He is not a 'natural' hand-holder - how often do you see him holding his wife's hand?

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

Yes it was a deliberate act of domination. There was speculation in various reports about the slope excuse but are clearly nonsense. It's bizarre that a poster on here, where I am always reading about how women are socialised to be nice, should be casigating Theresa May for Trump's actions.

[OurBlanche]

He does it to men too!

He places a hand on their back, walks a few paces, or says a few words, then pats them twice and walks off!

He has been a very rich man for a very long time, any other human being is there for his own use and abuse... why would he employ anything oher than compliant employees?

He has been rich enough to dominate any business setting for decades too!

Dominant is what he is!

Which is what Bell was lampooning! Not TM or any other person who happens to be 'Trumped'!

[powershowerforanhour]

Interesting that the original Gillray cartoon has the woman's feet facing as if she's on her back, but the Bell cartoon has her on her front. If he was simply paying homage to the grandfather, why did he depict this change?

[HelenDenver]

Good point, power.

[OurBlanche]

It also refers to other cartoons and political satirists, Bell and others.

Lots of multi layered references in one small picture - which is its very genius!

If you consider it as Bell NOT being sexist and see it Bell saying that TM is likely to be shafted by Trump in exactly the same way as her male counterparts you might see why some don't see it as specifically misogynist...?