Ségolène Royal: Stressing gender over competence?
“I want to address myself to the women,” Ségolène Royal declared a few days before the elections in France. “I need the women’s vote,” she said,“ it is time to put an end to centuries of injustice, of marginalization.” She has been much criticised by her political antagonists, as well as columnists, for addressing the issue of gender inequality in France. The move to call on woman to get their votes was seen by some as a desperate ploy to win votes in the first round of the election by stressing gender above competence. Indeed, the women’s vote was crucial for the first election and it will be in the run-off: women represent 53 percent of the electorate. “But is Royal really only focussing on her femininity and on votes? Isn’t she rather calling attention to an issue that is all too often ignored?” asks Diversity expert Michael Stuber. “Gender inequality is a proved fact, it is social reality” he adds, “One gets the impression, that many of her critics simply want to stick to traditional social and family values by attacking her campaign. ” An impression that lasted over the whole race for president. Some of Royal’s defenders underlined the fact that she is constantly judged on the way she looks. The fact that she prefers flouncy skirts over sober pants has been much remarked on. “Her jackets and dresses are the object of permanent commentaries,” wrote novelist Genevieve Brisac in a commentary in Le Monde, adding “ I am scandalized to see this woman attacked without end over who she is and her appearance.” Judging female politicians on their outward appearance doesn’t come as anything new. Just recently German newspapers reported in full on their front pages on a new haircut of the German minister for family and woman, Mrs. von der Leyen. “Again this shows that we treat men and women in different ways. No one is judging male politicians on their appearance,” says Michael Stuber. So who is at the end stressing gender over competence – Ségolène Royal or rather her opponents?
