World News
Would you ask Barack Obama this; Women PM’s witty reply to sexist question
Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin gave a correct answer to the reporter who ‘asked questions regarding their age’ just because they were female prime ministers.
During a press conference held by the duo as part of Sanna Marin’s visit to New Zealand, a reporter asked a ‘sexist’ question regarding age. The video of the Prime Ministers replying to this is now widely circulated on social media.
While Jacinta Ardern and Sanna Marin met as Prime Ministers leading two countries, a journalist asked: ‘Did you meet because you were young women of the same age?’
“Many may be surprised by this. Whether you both meet each other because you are of similar age and have a lot in common, including politics.
Or can New Zealanders expect more deals between these two countries?” That is what the reporter of New Zealand’s talk radio station Newstalk ZB (Newstalk ZB) asked.
Jacinta Arden gave a remarkable answer to this.
“My first question is, has anyone ever asked Barack Obama, the President of the United States, and John Key, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, have you met each other because they were the same age?
The proportion of men in politics is definitely higher. It is real. But two women meet each other not because they are the same age or the same gender,” said Jacinta Arden.
Watch NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pick apart this reporter’s question during a joint press conference with Finnish PM Sanna Marin. He asked the pair ‘are you two meeting because you’re similar in age and got a lot of common stuff there?’
Read more: https://t.co/eTtJEqJoFZ pic.twitter.com/UBEZs1kzvF— SBS News (@SBSNews) November 30, 2022
Barack Obama and John Key are leaders who have met each other many times while they were the heads of state of the United States and New Zealand. That is why Ardane answered by taking their example.
Ardane also answers maturely regarding the cooperation between New Zealand and Finland in the fields of export-trade technology.
“Finland is shipping $199 million worth of goods to New Zealand. Companies like Nokia have specialized technology.
On the other hand, New Zealand exports goods worth $14 million. Mostly wine and beef. We both countries have great potential for each other.
As two separate countries, we are looking at opportunities to grow through mutual economic agreements.
Outsiders may not know much regarding the relationship between New Zealand and Finland and its potential. But we are trying to improve it. “It’s our job to push that regardless of our gender,” said Jacinta Arden.
Following this, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin is also seen answering the same question in the video.
“Both of us are meeting as Prime Ministers. We have a business delegation with us. Both countries have a lot in common.
But there is still much to do together. Especially when it comes to technology,” said Zanna Marin.
Jacinta Ardern is the leader who has been the Prime Minister of New Zealand since 2017. In 2019, Sanna Marin took over as the Prime Minister of Finland.
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has also been widely criticized for being a ‘female prime minister’.
After the footage of her partying with her friends at her private residence was widely circulated on social media, a section of people came out with severe criticism once morest Sanna Marin.
A video of him celebrating by singing and dancing with his friends became controversial.
After being criticized, they conducted a drug test. Soon following the controversy erupted, Sanna Marin stated that she had never used any drugs except for a little drink during the party. But the cyber attack was getting stronger.
The Prime Minister of Finland underwent a drug test following the demands of the country’s opposition parties and critics. Sanna Marin reacted emotionally to the issue following the test result was negative.
Sanna Marin talked regarding people intruding on her rightful private life and her sincerity at work.
Sanna Marin’s reaction then was,
“I am also a man. “I am human. And I too sometimes long for joy, light and fun amidst these dark clouds.”
It’s a very personal thing, my happiness, my life.
But I have not lost a single day of my professional life because of this.
“I want people to look at what we do at work rather than what we do in our free time,” said the Prime Minister of Finland.
At that time, the critics raised that Sanna Marin was drunk and took a video in public while drunk. A section said that the Prime Minister is running the party without ruling the country and that ‘such actions’ are unbecoming of a Prime Minister.
But a large section of people, especially women, also came out in support of Sannak, saying that one should not control one’s personal life just because she is a woman.
Similar to Sanna Marin’s video, videos of women singing and dancing and celebrating with and without friends were widely shared through social media.
The hashtag ‘Solidarity With Sanna’ (#SolidarityWithSanna) was also viral on social media.
According to the UN, 13 countries in the world are headed by women.
Content Highlight: Finnish PM Sanna Marin and New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern gives reply to Sexist Question by a reporter
