How Can You Be Put Off Something Because Of Events You Know Nothing About?

[cassa333]

I wonder this because Diane Abbott has been saying women are put off becoming an MP because of sexist/abuse.

I think that is a rather simplistic view. Women are put off becoming an MP because of home, family, work and all sorts of reasons and in all likelihood not because someone like her keeps going on about abuse.

Seeing her smug mug every day would put me off more than being in a male dominated workplace.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38977784

[woofgang]

I think people (including D Abbott) can only comment from their own experience and research. If her experience and research has identified this as one of the reasons that women don’t wish to enter politics, then why should she not say so?

[cassa333]

She can say it. I just don't agree with it.

It is the same for any male dominated industry.

If you're too nanny pamby cotton woolish to be in parliament then you are best not trying in the first place.

[anotheoldgit]

/// The shadow home secretary said she was speaking out about her own experiences after recently receiving a series of threats and insults. ///

Threats and insults are not specifically made against female MPs, or even against females of any occupation.

[sp1814]

cassa333

Why do you think that women who are thinking of entering a public role don't know what other women face in those roles?

There's no shortage of evidence of what female MPs face over and above their male counterparts. There is a demographic (predominantly inadequate males) who use social media and direct contact to make physical threats (rape being a particular favourite) to females in public office, if they have the temerity to speak their minds or opinions.

I don't necessarily think that women who fear the impact this may have on their lives are being nanny pamby at all. At best, it's dispiriting.

At worst...Jo Cox.

[-Talbot-]

Jo Cox wasn't targeted because she was a woman, sp.
Are you suggesting had the MP for Batley and Spen been a man no attack would have taken place?

[Gromit]

Do male MPs not have home, family and work before deciding on becoming an MP?

To a small degree, she has a point. A great deal of male MPs immature and have outdated views on women.

However, Abbott was the victim of some rather boorish antics by a drunken Conservative member, and she is rather milking the incident.

[Jackdaw33]

If you mean whom I think you mean, he wasn't just drunk, he must have been absolutely blotto to attempt what he did.

[vulcan42]

According to the article this has been going on during her 30 year political career, so perhaps it wasn't as bad as she is suggesting. Would anybody stay in a job where they were sexually threatened and insulted over a period of thirty years? possibly her salary was sufficient compensation.

[Jackdaw33]

She needed the money to pay the expensive fees for the schools she professes to deride.

[Deskdiary]

Diane Abbott first came to my attention when she stated she couldn't "...defend the indefensible..." which sent the very clear message to her constituents that her child's education was more important than theirs.

She came out with complete cobblers then, has continued to do so in the intervening period, and continues to do so with her comments here and in connection with the spit hoods in a different thread.

Women who aspire to be MPs are not shrinking violets, and nor would we want them to be, and will not be put off by the odd comment now and then. If they are, then they should consider a different career. Social media abuse (which is not just confined to women) can simply be ignored.

She has referred to David Davis antics last week as misogynistic, which they weren't - childish possibly, but it most definitely wasn't misogynistic, and to state as much suggest to me she does not know what that word means. She needs to stop playing the victim.

Absurd woman.