Former Danish MP Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil says comments about politicians’ looks remain widespread, and that a remark made to her almost 18 years ago has stayed with her.
Rosenkrantz-Theil, a former member of the Folketing for both the Red-Green Alliance and the Social Democrats, spoke on the P1 program “Svingdøren”. DR reports that she recalled a woman roughly her own age telling her she had gone from a slim, pretty girl for the Red-Green Alliance to a fat Social Democrat.
According to DR, the comment was made in 2008, shortly after Rosenkrantz-Theil had given birth to her daughter. She says it does not affect her today, but that she remains surprised anyone would say it. Per her account, people forget that public figures are also just human beings.
The panel discussion followed the post that Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen published last week. In it, she turned down a plastic surgeon’s offer to fix a small spot on her nose.
Rosenkrantz-Theil told the program that the focus on appearance was extreme when she was younger in politics. She said it came both from media that listed female politicians as the election’s babe, and from people she met on the street. She added that it has become slightly better over the years.
The remark aimed at Frederiksen shows her that the problem is not solved. As stated by Rosenkrantz-Theil, the focus has not decreased. Instead, men’s appearance is now scrutinized too, which she calls the opposite of what could have been hoped for.
Panel points to older social media users
The “Svingdøren” panel also includes former MPs Pia Gjellerup of the Social Democrats and Joachim B. Olsen of Liberal Alliance. Olsen, who now works as a political commentator, said the crudest comments on social media come from older people. Gjellerup and Rosenkrantz-Theil agreed with him.
Rosenkrantz-Theil said the younger generation has a very different sense of what can be said about other people’s appearance. According to her, such comments are rarely made face to face today. She described most of them as coming from keyboard warriors.
She also distinguished between opinions about a politician’s clothing and about their body. In her view, it would be wrong for politicians to dress too extravagantly in certain settings, because they represent the country abroad. She acknowledged that the position may sound odd coming from her.
During her years with the Red-Green Alliance, she wore very short tops, known as crop tops, inside the Folketing. A DR photograph from the 2006 budget debate shows her in what she now calls alternative clothing.
The line is crossed, she said, when comments address how a person’s body is built and whether something should be done about it. The full episode of “Svingdøren” is available from DR.
