Vera Lengsfeld is a CDU candidate in the German elections. She's caused quite a stir with this poster. The slogan reads: "We have more to offer". What the 'more' actually entails is left to the reader's imagination. Interestingly, the reaction to the poster within the CDU and more generally seems to be quite positive. Frau Lengsfeld writes on her blog...
The CDU reacton has either been relaxed or delighted. There are constituency parties who have placed orders for the poster. There is no sign of protest within the party however much journalists have tried to find it... It's astonishing how prudish left wing men still are. Hey boys, relax! Where has your sense of sexual liberation disappeared to? Or is your outrage rather manufactured? I tend to the latter point of view.
It's a fair point. However, let's imagine for a moment a British election in which a male Conservative candidate, using the same slogan, as Frau Lengsfeld, used an image of his own trouser covered 'lunchbox' and that of David Cameron - or alternatively a barechested six pack. Couldn't happen, could it? A definite sense of humour failure would ensue.
So can women get away with using sex in politics more than men?
It is a common misconception that the Germans don't have a sense of humour. In fact it is just rather different to that of the English and many of their jokes don't translate well. The fact that this is pretty mainstream in Germany and wouldn't work here has little to do with gender politics. It is quite good fun though.
ReplyDeleteWho says Germans have no sense of humour, or grasp of inuendo eh?
ReplyDeleteThere were the YBF posters of a topless hunk and a fit young wench, with the slogan 'Life is better under a conservative', so its kinda already happened!
ReplyDeleteDD for me ring any bells
ReplyDeleteWhich British politicians have sixpacks? Alan Duncan?
ReplyDeleteIain,
ReplyDeleteFor various reasons, you may not have noticed that women use their femininity all the time.
Sex sells and all that!!
S.T.
Which country was it where their male politicians were on billboards topless together?
ReplyDeleteThis poster was used by Fine Gael in the wrong result Lisbon Referendum in Ireland.
ReplyDeleteAs 13th Spitfire says, look at the desperation of Irish Eurpcrats.
http://rosemarymaccabe.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/lisbon_male.jpg
Perhaps the Tory Party could sign up Victoria Coren ? Now there's a woman with a cleavage who knows how to use it...
ReplyDeleteIn fact if the readership pauses to think for a moment - Blair played up to a blokey, indeed macho, image - not like Putin, British politics (and the electorate) are not so crass.
ReplyDeleteBut he played up to it non the less.
Just spare us Mandelson in his posing trunks.
To be quite honest, it wouldn't work here because there are no woman who could pull it off.
ReplyDeleteI mean, Jo Swinson and Julia Goldsworthy are too young.
Theresa May or Anne Widdecombe?
Harriet Harperson or Caroline Flint?
Actually, Anne Widdecombe I can imagine doing this.
Don't know about lunchboxes & sixpacks - what we're gonna need in this country is someone with balls of steel.
ReplyDeleteRather leaves Mandy out doesn't it?
Maybe no balls of steel, but he can certainly turn on the petulance ... as he did this morning when Evan Davies (reasonably successfully) curtailed his attempt to turn an interview into yet another anti-Tory rant. You could almost hear him thinking: "I know where you live, Davies."
ReplyDeleteHow dirty these socialist ferrets fight when cornered!
It's a quirk of nature that a woman's cleavage is near her face Iain and women know what sells far better than men. :)
ReplyDeleteIain said: "So can women get away with using sex in politics more than men?"
ReplyDeleteYes.
Women have been using sex to get their way for millennia, possibly longer. Sex is a feminine weapon.
"So can women get away with using sex in politics more than men?"
ReplyDeleteWomen can get away with using sex in ANY field. It's part of the hypocritical double-standard that is modern feminism: its proponents demand equal treatment but want you to pay for everything, mend their car and hold the door open. Under this credo it's OK to mock men in adverts etc. but don't dare do so to a woman. And don't look at a woman's body even if she's walking around half naked...
She is simply keeping abreast of the issues! Hey hey!
ReplyDeleteWhat about that really tall MP stating that, in the interests of keeping his budgets in proportion, there's a really big pole on the back benches?
Are, like Putin, they trying to frighten the horses?
ReplyDelete@Vervet
ReplyDeleteTo have as much sex as many gay men have, let me tell you, you need balls of steel...
I suggest the Conservatives already have more to offer, what do the other parties have for us?
ReplyDeleteFit Conservative birds, German women's cleavages...this blog is becoming very (hetero)sexualised all of a sudden. Trying to get the clicks up?
ReplyDeletePedants Corner
ReplyDeletesubrosa says at 11.25am:
"It's a quirk of nature that a woman's cleavage is near her face"
Hardly a "quirk", more a consequence of evolution: great jugs in line of sight = more likely to be knocked up by apha male, or something like that.
R56
Well, it appears even my ludicrous libido has limits. Donotwant!
ReplyDeleteWell I thought those 'holiday snaps' of Cameron in his shorts were pretty near the mark.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, imagine Brown in his shorts. On second thoughts, don't.
What do you mean by "masterstroke"?!?! Is that another innuendo?
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the evolutionary role of the feature in question is supposedly a throwback to the brightly coloured and prominent backsides of some types of female monkey!
It wouldn't cause a storm. It simply wouldn't work...
ReplyDeleteDavid cameron's lunchbox is not going to win him votes!
Jacqui boot's tits might...
Germans are generally more relaxed about bodies. It wouldn't work in the UK because our we/our media are too juvenile about them.
ReplyDelete@ Jackart
ReplyDelete"David cameron's lunchbox is not going to win him votes!"
I wouldn't be so sure......
Anyway, at least he seems to have one - which is more than Brown, allegedly.
If you can show us to a male politician of whatever party who has a lunchbox of 6-pack worth unveiling, then I'll show you an election-winning poster, Iain...
ReplyDeleteJust so long as we do not end up with Mad Hatty Harperson or the Ginger Minger in basque and fishnet stockings. Aaarghh, I need a drink!
ReplyDeleteit would get your vote though , wouldn't it !
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't think I would have connected the slogan with the lady's cleavage, size not being everything, as it were. I think you'd need to be an Italian cabinet minister to pull that one off properly :D
ReplyDeleteWhich British politicians have sixpacks?
ReplyDeleteMost probably have 12 packs. Nothing less will do
Sorry Iain ...I couldnt resist
Vote for the CDU and get a pair of saggy old tits.
ReplyDeleteVote Labour and get Droopy Brown and Ed Ballsack.
What's the difference?
I recall a certain MP posing in his Y-fronts.....didn't win him much praise!
ReplyDeleteOh do come along Iain. Of course women can get away with anything in politics; Just look at Hattie. No, don't!
ReplyDeleteThis is quite simple. I, for one, have got no interest in seeing Jacqui Smith's breasts. Judging by the expenses scandal, neither did her husband.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any politician in this country whom I would want to see wearing very little clothing. Politicians should, by law, be required to wear burqhas at all times in my opinion.
Hellooo!
ReplyDeleteDing Dong!
Loved the way the Marxist BBC kept trying to push the "offensive to wimmim" line with the boxhead lady politico, who kept laughing at the po faced reporter.
oh and it works Ok for the past and future President of Russia...
ReplyDeleteI always doubt that those who bash politicos over their appearances and sexual prowesses are quite so pert as they imagine.
ReplyDeleteSexual swearwords and other nether references do not augur well . . .