Italian women hit back after PM insults matronly, bespectacled female politician, saying 'she's more beautiful than intelligent'
Italian women hit back after PM insults matronly, bespectacled female politician, saying 'she's more beautiful than intelligent'
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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's cutting remark about a female rival's lack of beauty has stirred a rare public backlash from thousands of Italian women, who had largely kept silent about the Prime Minister'su00a0 sex scandals.
New feminism
Since then, Facebook sites offering solidarity have sprung up, protests have been held in towns like Reggio Emilia, while Bindi's response - "I'm not a woman at your disposal"u00a0- has become a rallying cry printed on T-shirts and placards.
"Someone tell Berlusconi he's no George Clooney," centrist Senator Patrizia Bugnano said, calling him a "chauvinist". "It's offensive that he always refers to women in aesthetic terms," she said.
The campaign is publicised by Left-leaning newspaper La Repubblica and draws support heavily from the Left. It is a rare example of a feminist initiative against Berlusconi that has managed to gain momentum.
Bindi says it signals a "new feminism" taking root in Italy, where Berlusconi's quips about women being "God's most beautiful gift to men" and Italy being "homeland of great lovers, Casanovas and playboys" are usually met with indifference.
Still, pollsters say that without a credible political rival to challenge him, the feminist backlash will do little to lower Berlusconi's support among conservative women votersu00a0- even if they may be less enthusiastic about him than before.
"Berlusconi has not changed his approach to women and it's not the first time he has made such comments about women," said Maurizio Pessato of the SWG polling group.
"It's likely that some of the women already against him were spurred into action since the remark was so harsh, but others are used to this. We're in the phase where those supporting him continue to do so, and those against him are markedly so."
Silvio vs Rosy
This is not Berlusconi's first jab at Bindi's looks. Criticised by his wife for fielding a slate of pretty women for the European elections this year, Berlusconi complained: "What's wrong if they're pretty? We can't field all Rosy Bindis."
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