Death and The Maiden
Menstrual mansplaining, misogyny blogs, false idols, and Tangata WTF?
You're just too too obscure for me
Oh you don't really get through to me
And there's no need for you to talk that way
Is there any less pessimistic things to say?
Songwriters: Graeme Downes
Today, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t be too concerned; I don’t mean this guy or the other one:
There isn’t a Seymour or a Luxon among them. I’ve definitely written enough about those two this week. However, I have to say I found the PM’s penchant for wearing t-shirts over the top of his suit an appealing target, along with many others.
Mutton dressed as hogget and a lamb to the polls. Political genius Christopher Luxon doubled down and owned the look, donning a T-shirt with his slogan du jour over the top of his suit and tie to prove that he can laugh at himself - along with the rest of us.
So, on to the you-cannot-be-serious moments of the week, beginning with…
Mansplaining Menstruation - Simon Court
Simon is perhaps best known as the ACT party spokesperson for Climate Change, and when I say “for,” I mean he’s definitely FOR it. This is a man who once said, “Greenpeace's anti-mining position is ... anti-humanity”, and his position is intended to thwart rather than support measures on emissions.
Simon’s anti-humanity climate views might take a back seat because, as of last week, I suspect Mr Court might become known for something else
In response to concerns about period poverty and the cost of menstrual products for those on low incomes, Simon said, “I’m not sure if you’re aware, or if people that you engage with are aware, of the menstrual cup, which is a reusable product available for about $15 from Chemist Warehouse.”
Condescending to the submitter, Rachel Dibble, who’d raised the concerns, he told her that she might not be so anxious if people knew how to access such a product.
I can only think that in Simon’s mind, the females in the room were simply uninformed, and he felt he needed to explain it for their pretty little heads.
Rachel replied, “I would like to ask you if you have teenage daughters, or if you know of young girls who are not quite as at ease with their bodies. I, at 52, am hesitant to use a product like that. I don’t think a $15 menstrual cup is an answer to benefit sanctions.”
But if you thought Mr Court’s mansplaining was the end, he then asked her if beneficiaries were obligated to search for more cost-effective products. So there you are, ladies of Aotearoa; Simon wants you to do your bit for the country and use the cheapest feminine hygiene solution possible.
I’m kidding, of course. Simon wouldn’t be so presumptive as to tell all women what to use. No, the obligation he speaks of is just for the poor, and don’t forget, of course, the children of the poor.
“Don’t you think that there is an opportunity for individuals who are receiving benefits, that have obligations, that have responsibilities, to maybe start looking at some ways that they can take control of things in their own lives,” Court said, “and maybe choosing different products to buy that help reduce their exposure to cost is one way to do it?”
Te Pāti Māori’s Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Labour’s Peeni Henare were understandably appalled, as you can read in the article. As were those commenting on my page about it:
Donna: “We are talking about period poverty here. Quite besides his mansplaining question, $15 is a lot to part with if you have no money. What if you have a family of girls? Maybe he expects them to share the cup. Act are just ugh!”
Leone: “Bloody hell, what next?? That is absolutely dreadful. What has it to do with him? Women’s fertility is becoming a political subject.”
Irene posted this one-fingered message to Simon:
Christian: “It's also poverty-splaining. I hate MPs that do that. His suggestion is if you are on a benefit, you are compelled to use the thriftiest option. Or what? What is he suggesting? You don't deserve quality; you don't have any choice because you aren't as human as other people. Is it some kind of threat on his part?”
Debbie: “I'm surprised he didn't suggest they just cut up old towels and use washable rags.”
Juliet: “Now, this might just be the perimenopause talking here, but this makes me homicidally rageful... there's a great chance of avoiding jail time too because I think we get one perimenopause legal exception!
Or maybe I made that up. I can't remember. Is it hot? It's hot, right?”
Cultural Misappropriation - Peter Williams
Meanwhile, over in Cooker-town, that pakeha chap who used to be on the news before he went down a rabbit hole never to return, said he was Tangata… WTF?
‘I am tangata whenua. This is my land,’ Peter Williams tells Treaty Principles Bill hearing.
Williams, who is of Scottish heritage and has no Māori heritage, was speaking in support of David Seymour’s bill when he claimed to be Tangata Whenua, a phrase that, as we all know, describes the Maori people, the first inhabitants of these lands.
According to Peter, people who have migrated to Aotearoa, although he obviously wouldn’t have called it that, “have mingled and merged, intermarried and interbred”. We are all people of this land, he said.
As is the case with Class-A cookers, Peter does not concern himself with science. He said, “Yes, a saliva test taken through Ancestry.com says I’m 91% Scottish, but that’s patently ridiculous. I should be graded 100% New Zealander… I am tangata whenua. This is my land; I’m privileged to share it with more than 5 million other Kiwis.”
Williams said it did not make sense that “a modicum of Māori blood” could give some people a political and economic advantage over others. “It must not be allowed in modern New Zealand.”
An interesting perspective from someone who is 100% part of the most privileged race in Aotearoa. However, I doubt Peter would recognise that.
Disservices to Decency - Marc Spring
You’ve probably seen the supermarket image of Golriz Ghahraman, which the NZ Herald has prominently featured in reporting on the work of Marc Spring, an associate of Cameron Slater of WhaleOil infamy.
I’d mention that Spring is also a second-hand car dealer, which he is, but I’d hate to besmirch such a noble profession by association.
While there is a public interest in exploring the cesspool of filth that misogynists like Cameron Slater and Spring inhabit, that interest has been sated at the expense of Ms Ghahraman, who has suffered quite enough already.
From the Herald article:
“…the image has emerged on a little-known blog site run by a man with a history of targeting Ghahraman online.
The ex-MP, who pleaded guilty to four charges of shoplifting last year, has described the encouragement in a text thread on the blog to post footage to 4Chan “like trying to get me killed”. The site is notorious for directing violence towards women.
When the article was published, I posted about it, expressing my disgust, saying it was time for the police to do something to stop this poor woman from being harassed. But I decided not to re-publish it here, and I’ve chosen to show this one instead:
The article indicates that “Spring has posted 28 articles focused on Ghahraman to his blog over the past year.”
That sounds bad, although I’ve written more articles than that on Christopher Luxon and David Seymour over the last year, and I’m certainly not stalking either of them.
The photo's emergence is not a good look for the police, monitoring company, and supermarket. It would seem that one of them has leaked images which are being used to vilify someone who wasn’t charged and expose them to potential violence. They all say it wasn’t them, but it’s hard to see who else it could’ve been.
Even Winston posted, stating that enough was enough. If we are to believe the delusional fantasies of Matthew Hooton, Peters may be rediscovering his humanity now that the future of his political career appears more likely to be with Labour.
Either that or he wants to be clear - the anti-vaxxers, the conspiracy freaks - those are his crowd, but the woman-hating creeps are all ACT, and he doesn’t want to be associated with them. In any case, he’s right - for the first time in a while.
Real men don’t preach hate.
Hooton ended his paywalled article Labour eyes swift return to Government saying, “…it underlines Luxon’s extraordinary unpopularity that Hipkins now has a reasonable chance of being the first Prime Minister since National’s legendary Sir Keith Holyoake to be thrown out by voters, only to be returned three years later.”
I think he’s right, although, unlike Hooton, I think the possibility is not solely due to the woeful performance we’ve seen from a Prime Minister who everybody can see lacks the skills for the job but also to a strong performance from Hipkins.
When hate came to my community of Te Atatu yesterday, with angry, aggressive men wanting to stop books being read in our local library, I was grateful to see Chippy’s words, spoken like a real leader:
Chippy becoming PM again felt like long odds on election night, now I reckon it’s about even money now, but boy these next 18 months of manoeuvring and interpreting tea leaves is going to be fascinating. Best buckle up.
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Ngā mihi,
Nick.
Gotta say Court is a braver man than me, trying to dictate to woman in that department. 56 years married, and no scars, here.
What is plod doing about the obvious stalking of Golriz by this car salesman. They're pretty energetic bout gang patches, but, human misery! not a sign.
Simon court should be made to wear a cup... over his mouth.