Game of Ties: fashion war erupts at Stormont

Stormont hosted an epic battle this week as the men pulled out all the stops in the increasingly heated fashion war. Martin McGuinness  and Christopher Stalford, along with many others, fiercely competed for the title of most striking tie, having given great thought to their outfits and how they will be perceived in the media – cause that’s what politicians do, right?

This week was of particular significance to Martin McGuinness, who can now give his full undivided attention to his wife and four grown up children after finding a successor to lead Sinn Fein. His paternal duties were compromised for ten years as he attempted to “have it all” by pursing a political career. But now that his thirst for freedom has been quenched, he can swiftly return to his rightful place of husband and father and leave the serious stuff to his replacement, Michelle O’Neill.

To mark such an occasion, McGuinness was sure to put a lot of thought into his outfit, and boy he didn’t disappoint. He rocked a dim grey suit teamed with a “look-at-me red” and green striped tie – definitely not a “shrinking violet!”

Striking a pose

Uh oh! Looks like it was a case of Who Wore it Best for Christopher Stalford and Gerry Adams as they both turned up in spotty ties – how awkward for wives Laura and Collette!  Adams, husband and father of one, went for a snazzy purple with white spots number, while Stalford, husband and father of three, went for a hard line red.

‘Werk the Smirk’ a la Tyra Banks

If this all sounds ridiculous to you, then have no fear! We only talk about female politicians like this, remember?

This week saw a historic moment in Northern Irish politics as Michelle O’Neill, current Minister of Health, was appointed as the new leader of Sinn Fein in the wake of McGuinness’ decision to step down from the position. Our country is set to be led by two women which, on the surface, makes Northern Ireland sound super progressive and ahead of the equality game, but alas that could not be further from the truth.

Belfast Live ran a story announcing O’Neill’s new position, yet they decided to do this by referring to her as a “mother of two.” Granted, O’Neill does have two children – she even mentions this in her video addressing the electorate in the wake of the decision – but is it really necessary to use this fact as the caption of a news story? It is irrelevant: O’Neill’s public life is that of a politician, not simply a mother.

This would never be the case if a man was the politician in question. Radio presenter Cathal Mac Coille pointed out the discrepancies in how female politicians are treated in contrast to their male counterparts in this scathing tweet:

Spilling that tea

Unfortunately, we’re going to have to endure a lot more of this shit as the media are insistent on pitting Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill against each other, but not in terms of their policies or political agendas, as they should be, but in how they look.

The Belfast Telegraph ran an article that compared the apparent “contrasting” looks of the politicians, attempting to find significance in the women’s choice of clothing. Typical sexist views are perpetuated throughout, as clothing choice is wrongly attributed character significance – Foster apparently wants to come across as “softer” and O’Neill is an alleged attention seeker since she’s wearing a “look-at-me red” top. And, because she dares to wear eye-liner, she is afforded the title of “no shrinking violet.”

From Belfast Telegraph

The author of the piece is self-aware enough to ask the question, “is this sexist?” They know it is, but they don’t care. They justify the article by saying that politicians are largely concerned with how they are received in the media. But here’s the thing, if demeaning articles like this weren’t ran, then female politicians could relax and know that they would be afforded the same level of professionalism and respect that men enjoy. They would be judged by their political decisions, not the shade of their jacket.

The two leading politicians of this country face an extra layer of scrutiny that their male counterparts are simply not subjected to. If this first week is anything to go by, it shows that no matter how qualified you are, or how far you’ve rose in political ranks, women in politics will still be viewed in the context of their roles as wife and mother, with unnecessary significance given to their appearance.

It’s 2017 – let’s cut the sexist bullshit.