Jacinda Ardern: how the New Zealand politician shamed the TV dinosaurs | Politics

Jacinda Ardern: how the New Zealand politician shamed the TV dinosaurs | Politics

Age: 37.

Location: The dark ages.

The actual dark ages? Well, no. But close. New Zealand.

Steady on, New Zealand is great. Yes, it’s a wonderful country. It just seems a bit, you know, regressive sometimes.

Do tell. Jacinda Ardern was unanimously elected as Labour leader on 1 Aug. It’s a big deal, since she’s the youngest Labour leader in the history of the country. She’s fresh and vibrant, and has the potential to become New Zealand’s Trudeau.

Jacinda Ardern grilled over motherhood plans on first day

That doesn’t sound regressive. No, that was something that happened seven hours after she became leader, during an appearance on television show The Project.

What happened? The show’s host asked her the following question: “A lot of women in New Zealand feel like they have to make a choice between having babies and having a career or continuing their career … is that a decision you feel you have to make?”

That old chestnut. Male politicians never get asked that, do they? Ardern handled it brilliantly, though, using it to discuss the impact this “dilemma” has on millions of women everywhere.

Again, not regressive. No, but this exchange prompted a blunter question from the male co-host of The AM Show the following morning: “Is it OK for a PM to take maternity leave while in office?”

Yeesh. Exactly, yeesh. Not only does that question seem like a low blow, especially in the runup to a general election, but the country’s Human Rights Act of 1993 forbids employers from discriminating against current or potential employees on the grounds of their possible desire to one day have children.

Really? Because every single working mother has a story about being discriminated against at work. Yes, it’s awful, but shaming these dinosaurs in public is the fastest way to change opinion.

Did Jacinda Ardern shame the interviewer? Did she ever? “It is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say that women should have to answer that question in the workplace; it is unacceptable, it is unacceptable,” she said. “It is a woman’s decision about when they choose to have children and it should not predetermine whether or not they are given a job or have job opportunities.”

She’s got my vote. Mine, too. I’ll get some rosettes made up.

Do say: “Jacinda Ardern is the feminist icon we all need right now.”

Don’t say: “Is she single?”

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