MP denounces sexist comments on her low-cut dress
Aurore Bergé, MP in the La République en Marche party, has denounced comments she received after appearing on a TV debate as “sexist”.
The MP for the department of Yvelines appeared on the TV show Salut Les Terriens on channel C8 on Saturday February 24, as a contributor to the debate on topics including public broadcasting and harassment at work.
Yet, many internet users commented not on her opinion or debating skills, but on her choice of outfit, which included a low-cut and short dark blue dress covered with a tailored, black suit jacket.
One comment read: “Is this really appropriate for an elected MP?”, while another asked jokily if there had been “a fabric shortage on Salut Les Terriens”.
One message even said: “Aurore Bergé is half naked but complains about harassment? That is a mental problem, not one of harassment.”
Another posted a screenshot from the programme, where another participant appeared to be looking intensely at Bergé.
However, some commenters were quick to defend Bergé, including Clémentine Autain, of rival party La France Insoumise.
Autain said that while she “is not in political agreement with Bergé...attacks on [Bergé’s] clothes are signs of very distressing sexism”.
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Another user sarcastically said: “Well done for continuing to criticise Bergé’s neckline and short skirt; you will really change the world like that, geniuses.
"Have you still not understood that we do not have to wait for your validation to dress as we wish?”
Bergé herself posted a sarcastic comment in the wake of the sexist tweets.
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She said: “I thank all of those who have an opinion on the audiovisual reforms, public service, and information education. No, I’m only joking; the real debate in 2018 on Twitter is the length of my dress #ordinarysexism”.
Bergé also defended herself on the TV show C à Vous on France 5, yesterday (Monday February 26).
“It is a real debate apparently, but I did not think it would continue to be,” she said. “I rather naively thought that [this kind of sexism] was behind us. It is unheard of in 2018 that a woman would continue to be judged according to her clothes, rather than the opinion that she holds.”
She added that she would continue to wear the clothes “she wanted to”, and said: “I would not like to be in the heads of those who spend their time commenting on the lives of others."
