Sexism

Sarah Smith and why inaction is not an option with the politics of hatred Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, 23 February 2022 For many years now we have been witnessing a rising tide of intolerance, abuse and threats of intimidation in politics and public life – in Scotland and the UK - with sometimes violence occurring -witness the murder in recent times of the Labour MP Jo Cox and Tory MP David Amess. This is often just associated with social media, although it is more serious than that, and undoubtedly such platforms have released and amplified voices previously unheard, mediated

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Trump and the Problem with Sexist Men and Masculinity Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, January 20th 2020 Today is the end of the Trump Presidency - four years of chaos, incompetence, hatred and prejudice, fuelled by his constant craving and need for attention and approval. But this is not just a story about one repulsive man in America; it is a global moment and warning. One of the underlying factors in the personality of Trump is his expression of masculinity – boorish, abusive, intolerant, lacking any empathy of others, irresponsible and unreconstructed. He has believed all his adult life that he

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We need to talk about sexism in Scotland Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, August 26th 2020 Last week one story gripped part of Scotland. This was not COVID-19 or the independence majority in two polls. Rather it was the fallout from the Kirsty Wark programme on the Alex Salmond trial. There is no need to or repeat those discussions – although they did bequeath a new word ‘Warkumentary’ which isn’t meant to be a compliment – the substance of which I explored last week. But what has been illuminating amongst all the opinions and passions unleashed has been that, for a

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British politics, Misogyny and the Prejudice which festers in the Tories Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, October 24th 2018 The political world has been seen as an abrasive, macho and male club for centuries. Across the West this has meant to have changed in the last couple of decades with record levels of women’s representation and women leaders across the world. Yet, despite this, the male exclusivity tag still hangs over much politics. Neither the Labour Party or Liberal Democrats (or their predecessors the Liberals) have ever had a woman leader. The Tories may have given the UK two leaders and

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Sexual Misbehaviour is the concern of all of us Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, November 8th 2017 A spectre is haunting British politics. At a time of high wire politics, instability and the biggest constitutional challenge – Brexit – in post-war times, the political classes are obsessed with allegations of sexual impropriety, harassment and abuse. This affects all the main parties and at the most senior levels - the Conservatives and de facto Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green, Labour’s Kelvin Hopkins, the Lib Dems with the previous Lord Rennard scandal, and the SNP with the resignation of Children’s minister Mark McDonald.

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