French MP Véronique Massonneau
It turns out that a Member of Parliament in France may still be subjected to sexist remarks at the National Assembly. As she was discussing an amendment during the pension-reform debate on October 8th, ecologist MP Véronique Massonneau was mocked by the center-right UMP party MP Philippe Le Ray who imitated a chicken’s “cackling”.
It is disappointing to see an elected representative give such an example of rudeness, at a very juncture when political figures in France are suffering from a growing discredit in the public opinion and the far right is growing stronger.
Disappointed, yet not really surprised, since similar discriminatory behavior has been exhibited too many times in the past. Indeed, political figures such as Dominique Voynet, Roselyne Bachelot, Michèle Barzach, Edith Cresson, Elisabeth Guigou, Catherine Trautmann, Rachida Dati and Cécile Duflot have all been subjected to sexist attacks, often in relation to their looks or their clothing.
