Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD gets flak over ‘sexist’ meme on coronavirus.
Minister slammed over meme comparing coronavirus to women
Coordinating Legal, Political and Security affairs Minister Mahfud Md has gotten flak over a meme that likens the country’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid19 to a husband’s control over his wife.
Women ngo Solidaritas Perempuan (Women’s Solidarity) chief executive dinda nisa Yura said Mahfud’s response exposed casual misogyny and sexism among public officials.
“(His) statement not only reflects the government’s shallow thought process in resolving issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it also exposes public officials’ sexist and misogynistic mindset,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.
the meme that Mahfud had talked about compared the country’s efforts to adjust to the post-coronavirus reality to being married to a woman.
“i got a meme from (Coordinating Maritime affairs and investment Minister) Pak Luhut yesterday that goes, ‘Corona is like your wife. You try to control it then you realise that you can’t. then you learn to live with it’,” he said in jest during an online event on tuesday as quoted by tempo.co.
there is also a less-than-enthusiastic response from the public.
“disgusting. i’ll wait for a clarification!” prominent scholar ariel Heryanto tweeted on tuesday.
Meanwhile, investigative journalist Febriana Firdaus tweeted sarcastically in reference to Mahfud and Luhut’s inside joke.
“if they don’t like their (wives), why don’t they marry each other?”