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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Creepy Fucker Matt Hancock

103 replies

fuckinghellthisshit · 06/05/2020 14:45

Just had to share this, it made my skin crawl. Her use of 'handbag shield' is exceptional.

twitter.com/simondainty/status/1257710358376177664?s=12&fbclid=IwAR3qh1gNzzay9qkXsoYqS97UrsOFMGbYjimcL_M7VQXqCOtgaN8e2NHFxk0

OP posts:
Original poster
fuckinghellthisshit · 11/05/2020 10:51

@Gncq At about 10s in she switches hands with the handbag and uses it as an 'excuse' to move away from his groin which is in her personal space. I don't carry a handbag but use Laptop shield frequently - especially on public transport. Maybe you can't see it, but all the women I have watched it with and on that thread on twitter agree. It is a horrible interaction to watch.

@BillywilliamV Female politicians are constantly harassed and trolled for the way they look, constantly. Their clothing choices, make up, etc are the subject of endless speculation. This thread is based on this man's behaviour towards a woman he is standing with - which is very odd. It is perfectly reasonable to discuss a senior politicians bizarre behaviour at any time.
I just googled "Diane Abbott shoes" and there were over 2.5 million search results, Matt Hancock, an actually minister under the spotlight, received far less criticism for his inappropriate Policing of a woman's speaking tone last week.

OP posts:
Sandybval · 11/05/2020 11:00

Christ, if anyone posted this amount of abuse about a woman's supposed character and personality, based on one video, you'd all be up in arms! I would rather not judge our senior politicians entirely on whether they can look cool on camera! You should all be ashamed of yourselves!

Yes, female politicians are never mocked based on photos or snippets of videos are they?

PelicanDeuce · 11/05/2020 11:02

He’s just looking at her while she’s talking, rather than look at the cameras. He’d have got stick if he’d looked at the cameras! I really think that nailing him as a creepy tube masturbator etc is ludicrous.

moonset · 11/05/2020 11:16

Can't see what you're all reading into this either.

Datun · 11/05/2020 11:32

Looks perfectly obvious to me. Maybe certain body language is too subtle for some people to pick up on, if they're not personally experiencing it. I'm not one of them.

I asked a male friend and he didn't notice it either. Perhaps it's not something that men recognise as quickly.

Sandybval · 11/05/2020 11:35

Look how close he is to her and how intently he is staring at her. His intentions probably aren't off and he is likely just nervous or uncomfortable in front of the camera; but having been in a similar situation where male colleagues stand ridiculously close in my personal space it is uncomfortable. I'm guessing those that have noticed it are more likely to have experienced similar and know how it feels. That said, beyond that particular bit of video being slightly creepy, I don't think that suggests what he is like overall.

justanotherneighinparadise · 11/05/2020 11:38

To be fair they both looked incredibly awkward. Perhaps they’d been positioned there for the cameras.

Datun · 11/05/2020 11:39

He's in her space. I don't know what the motive is, but he is definitely in her space.

SarahTancredi · 11/05/2020 11:47

To be fair they both looked incredibly awkward. Perhaps they’d been positioned there for the cameras

Why oh why do we find excuses to let them off the hook. They know what they are doing. It is done on purpose. See how they perfect the completely oblivious innocent look to go with it?

Men are intelligent and hard working enough to get into such positions yet seemingly too stupid to know what they are doing? Nah.

Its obvious hes too close and shes very clearly shielding with her bag and bending back to get away from him.

deydododatdodontdeydo · 11/05/2020 12:59

He's in her space. I don't know what the motive is, but he is definitely in her space.

Perhaps the director told them to stand there?
These kind of interviews are directed. Someone would have told them where to stand. If he was too close, the director should have told them to separate.

Goosefoot · 11/05/2020 13:10

Yeah, I think they both look uncomfortable. I think they've been told to stand close together and he's at some point been told to look at the person talking. I think she'd like to move over but he is just rooted where he's been told to stand like a deer in the headlights.

Maybe not of course, it's a guess, but I'd have expected the person directing to ask them to stand differently if they didn't like how it was going.

TemoraryUsername · 11/05/2020 13:23

She missed a great opportunity here. I do find a firm thwack in the nuts tends to make most men respect personal space a bit better.

And if the camera person told them to stand that close then why do we perceive this as weird and not every other pair of people on TV? It's because it doesn't happen normally.

Creepy Fucker Matt Hancock
Sandybval · 11/05/2020 13:28

Why oh why do we find excuses to let them off the hook

I know, sad isn't it.

deydododatdodontdeydo · 11/05/2020 13:38

Why oh why do we find excuses to let them off the hook.

Because neither of them are acting of their own volition.

Sandybval · 11/05/2020 13:40

Because neither of them are acting of their own volition.

So the camera man said stand really close to her even though there's plenty of room around the shot, oh, and make sure you stare at her intently so you can see into her soul whilst feel you breathe on her neck; and he lost all capacity to say no? Or to stand back a bit? He was okay telling someone to watch their tone, but couldn't possibly say no or just stand back a fraction? Sure.

deydododatdodontdeydo · 11/05/2020 13:43

No, not the camera "man" Hmm
The director.
Have you ever been filmed? You are told what to do and where to stand.
I doubt the director worded it how you did, but they wouldn't just let them stand how they like.

SarahTancredi · 11/05/2020 13:44

Precisely sandy

There was loads of room. In the shot. Loads. Plenty that he didn't have to be within "stabbing" distance.

I dont even stand that close to my partner let alone a complete stranger.

Sandybval · 11/05/2020 13:46

No, not the camera "man" hmm The director.Have you ever been filmed? You are told what to do and where to stand.I doubt the director worded it how you did, but they wouldn't just let them stand how they like.

It's not like they are in character shooting for tarintino is it? It's a news segment, he is fully capable of saying no, absolutely no reason to be stood that close. She could have also asked for space, but it's far more awkward for her than for him not to be a creep. Honestly stop it.

Haffdonga · 11/05/2020 13:50

I remember this at the time. I don't like MH any more than the next person but he was told to stand next to her so they could get a close shot of them both.

waterjungle · 11/05/2020 13:56

In an interview like this in all there would probably be only a single camera shoot with one operative. If it was a quiet day you may have sound op too. There would prob be minimal direction from gallery talkback via a director ( eg can you frame tighter/ get them to stand closer / further away).
The camera would prob arrived 10 mins before and have about 5 mins to mic up, white balance, establish comms and talkback with gallery. They would then have another 10 mins to pack up and get to next job.
It looks rushed and uncomfortable and being on camera magnifies that

SodaSloth · 11/05/2020 13:58

She could have step back, it's not all downs to him just because he's a man.
however they are on camera and may have been told to stand close together. Did you bother to ask about the reason they are so close.. Of course not. You've seen this on twitter seem others comment so came on MN to slag off the man in the senario

SarahTancredi · 11/05/2020 14:03

She did step back and learn back and shield with her bag

He on the other hand was "swaying" practically rubbing himself up against her.

Goosefoot · 11/05/2020 14:09

So the camera man said stand really close to her even though there's plenty of room around the shot, oh, and make sure you stare at her intently so you can see into her soul whilst feel you breathe on her neck; and he lost all capacity to say no? Or to stand back a bit? He was okay telling someone to watch their tone, but couldn't possibly say no or just stand back a fraction? Sure.

Maybe an inexperienced camera operator, or even an intern, in a rush and no time to reshoot? It could happen.

As for the people being filmed, cameras can distort things like space and shape and distance. So you don't really know how you look, you have to rely on the people doing the filming to tell you because what seem natural can look weird on the screen, and what looks good on screen can seem unnatural.

If he was a close talker all the time it might tell us something but as a one-off I don't think we can draw conclusions.

Sandybval · 11/05/2020 14:10

Haha yes let's ask the health minister during a pandemic why he was stood inappropriately close to someone (would he have stood that close to another bloke? Doubtful). And may as well blame the woman whilst we are at it, and make it her fault because she could have moved away. You can see there's plenty of room in the shot.

Sandybval · 11/05/2020 14:11

And I agree it doesn't suggest anything about him overall, it's just one snippet. But that clip is awkward af to watch.