Friday 29 March 2024

Where’s an ice bucket when you need one?

Someone give Chris Fearne a calendar. He seems to think we are back in the 1950s, when advertising directed at women brainwashed them into thinking that they will find their joy and happiness in sparkling pots and pans and a squeaky clean floor.

Except in Mr Fearne’s case, it is the banning of certain adverts which he has decided is the true path to female bliss. You see, he has come up with the bizarre idea of banning the advertising of formula milk, because he seems to be on a mission to make women breastfeed their babies. What mothers themselves think doesn’t matter; after , haven’t you come across the latest research? It’s been scientifically proven that women are incapable of thinking and making up their own minds. They need a paternalistic Minister of Health to lecture them sternly about how they should feed their newborns, otherwise, goodness gracious me, those commercials telling them about formula milk will muddle their pretty little heads and they will get just so, so confused. What to do? What to do? I know! Maybe if they did not see any adverts, they would suddenly discover that they had been conveniently provided with breasts which produce milk and hey, presto! Problem solved!

Honestly, this is the kind of mindset I would have expected from someone who was born in the 1930s, but Mr Fearne doesn’t look quite that old.  Women are, understandably, very, very pissed off at this whole idea because of what it implies. It’s the caveman dragging his woman to the cave by her hair over again.   When will male politicians get it through their head that they cannot come out with these condescending, sexist ideas and statements and get away with it?  I was going to ask whether he had any women in his team to pour icy, cold water on this idea, but to my astonishment in the DOI photo Mr Fearne is surrounded by no less than three women. Did none of them think to tell him, “Uhm, I think this is going to upset a lot of people”?  But, what am I saying?  Of course, no one says anything because, as always in this country, ministers only tolerate those who nod obediently and agree with them. They don’t want any naysayers or advisors who tell it like it is and who are not afraid to go against the grain. Unless an idea badly backfires and blows up in a minister’s face and then you can be sure he will probably look frantically around for a scapegoat to take the fall.

What really floored me however was the accompanying caption: there is apparently an official political policy about breastfeeding. Huh? And again, huh?  Of the possible health issues which are a real threat at the moment, do you mean to tell me that the Minister for Health is wasting his time obsessing over breast milk?  He needs a reality check, and fast.

Meanwhile, here is a little video he might enjoy – he would fit in with this dinner party perfectly.

 

 

 

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