Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1058684
OPINION maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 5 DECEMBER 2018 8 Ramona Attard Ramona Attard is Communications Coordinator within the OPM Communications Office IT is shocking that I have to write this, but after recent events it is sadly necessary: It is possible to be a young woman, even a woman militating in the Labour Party, and not be a slut! For some reason certain sections of our society, in par- ticular some who believe they have a divine right to attack with venomous insults keep at- tacking women holding senior positions in the Labour Party. Unfortunately, these attacks are not new. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Julia Farrugia Portelli and Rosianne Cutajar have all been subjected to in- sults throughout their careers. They were not only called sluts, but also whores, escorts, and of having affairs with people responsible for their success. But when you get to know the aforementioned women, and I have worked with all of them, you discover how their suc- cessful political careers have been achieved through talent, intelligence, ambition, and sheer hard work. In fact, their only crime as female politicians in the eyes of the Opposition is their political ideology beliefs, and that Labour is the best party to run this country. When a retired former head of a leading trade union outra- geously told the women of Oc- cupy Justice that their place in this country was in Strait Street, an uproar unsued with calls for his resignation from leading newspapers and other organisa- tions. I have now reason to be- lieve that that was false outrage. Because how do you explain the fact that no one lifted a finger when a few days ago Rosianne Cutajar was called a slut? This inconsistency and hypocrisy from certain organisations, and factions of the national media is hard to swallow. What is the difference be- tween insulting Occupy Justice women and a female Member of Parliament? None. And if anyone should have jumped to the defence of Rosianne Cutajar, I thought the women of Occupy Justice would, due to understanding the trauma of being insulted just because you are a woman. But they did not. But why not? Maybe because Rosianne Cutajar has different political views? A very small number of Na- tionalist Party MPs condemned the verbal attacks on Rosianne Cutajar – but where was their outrage when Julia Farrugia Portelli was called a village prostitute from the Opposition benches? And when a myriad of women associated with the Labour Party were insulted by Daphne Caruana Galizia? Were they afraid Caruana Galizia would attack them if they showed solidarity with these women? How can we forget how passive the Opposi- tion was when a blogger dehu- manised and derided women who were only guilty of being affiliated to Labour? I too was a target of Daphne Caruana Galizia's poisonous pen. I was accused of having affairs with people in power because, as a young woman, certain people could not believe I had a career based on merit. The truth was that I studied hard, spent endless hours, evenings and weekends at work, while dedicating all my adult life to my career in journalism and politics. For reasons which I still cannot understand it seemed unfath- omable for Caruana Galzia and other associates that I could have ever made it on my own. Now that I am a mother, these insults make me even angrier. Angry because my daughter will at some point in her life read the lies that were written about her mother. And if we do not stop these insults, women will be even more deterred from politics so as to avoid these at- tacks. This is why I feel the pain of any woman who is attacked – regardless of political orienta- tion or position. Women in politics should be held up as role models. Inspir- ing women who show girls that they too can achieve a career in politics. A role model for our daughters to become financial- ly independent, have a fulfilling career whatever that might be, and also be mothers. Being a mother does not exclude ca- reer prospects. The allegations online will have to be explained one day to our children – but how can we explain that politics in today's scenario is not about personal attacks, but improving our country? This is the real challenge we face for women in politics nowadays. I wholeheartedly appeal to those few who feel holier than thou to stop attacks on women in politics. Criticise, even fiercely, their arguments and ideologies because that is part of democracy. But for the sake of the future female generation, do not be sexist in those attacks. And, when these episodes happen, there should be condemnation across the political divide, from both women and men, as women in politics can be everyone's daughters, sisters, partners and friends. Sooner or later someone close to you might be the next target. Let's condemn all personal at- tacks that happened in the past and are still happening now in the hope that these will be stopped at once. Stop calling female politicians 'sluts' For reasons which I still cannot understand it seemed unfathomable for Caruana Galzia and other associates that I could have ever made it on my own 'No one lifted a finger when Rosianne Cutajar was called a slut'