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Judge work, not looks, of women in public life
Judgement on women’s bodies is hardly new and goes beyond unsolicited beauty advice. A woman’s appearance seems to be perpetually available for public scrutiny.
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Back home after a trip on government work to Ukraine, a male plastic surgeon had some advice for Danish Prime Minister (PM) Mette Frederiksen. Not the ongoing war, not leading her nation, not the Nordic nations’ remarkable gender achievements but her nose — specifically, the need to “fix that little spot on your nose”.
Denmark’s second woman PM shared her exchange with the surgeon whose identity she magnanimously kept anonymous. Her response? “I’m happy with my body and don’t really need a male plastic surgeon to have opinions about it,” she shared on her Instagram, according to The Guardian.
“I’ve lost count of how many messages I’ve received over the years about my appearance,” the 48-year-old wrote. “Especially that I have ugly teeth and thin hair. That I have an ‘ugly’ wart on my nose and well-meaning advice to get some Botox.”
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Commenting on women’s bodies is hardly new and goes beyond unsolicited beauty advice.
A woman’s appearance seems to be perpetually available for public evaluation. US President Donald Trump revels in it: Hillary Clinton doesn’t “look” presidential; Kamala Harris has movie star looks but is not as good-looking as him. And women journalists doing their job and asking questions he doesn’t like have been called “Piggy” and berated for not smiling.
This sense of entitlement over women’s bodies sometimes passes as a compliment. Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad was the first to compare smooth roads with Hema Malini’s cheeks. That comparison caught on and, across party lines from Chhattisgarh to Maharashtra, male politicians have used the senior actor/BJP MP’s cheeks as a gold standard for roads.
If a woman is good-looking, then it surely follows she has no talent. If she dyes her hair, she is trying to look young. Even her shoes are up for scrutiny and ridicule. Just ask former British PM Theresa May.
It’s the same outside politics. Commenting on actor Aishwarya Rai’s weight has become a national sport. Even her minor daughter’s hairstyle is public discussion.
Recently BJP MP/actor Kangana Ranaut chose to take offence at a jewellery brand ad for rakhi where actor Kriti Sanon was wearing what Ranaut called a bikini. “Why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/undergarments … the advert looks intentionally creepy,” Ranaut said.
Later she added a communal twist, by asking if Sanon would have worn a similar outfit for an Islamic festival? Sanon clarified that a woman’s respect for culture is in her heart not neckline; Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi defended her right to wear what she wished. Ranaut then said she was offended by the depiction of rakhi — no tilak, etc — and the outfit was only a minor detail. But, by then, the ad had been withdrawn.
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It’s 2026, we have a heap of issues to discuss with regard to women — are they getting their rightful representation at the table? Is the world moving backwards with regard to sexual and reproductive rights? How do we tackle the epidemic of violence? (Answers: no, yes, send suggestions.) So, how is it that we are still talking about the way women in leadership roles look or ought to look?
Women are in public life for several reasons. Some wish to earn a living, others want to contribute to society. They bring perspective, experience and expertise. All this is up for discussion, their bodies are not. Not the spots on their noses, not what they choose to wear. This is getting to be predictable, unimaginative and, frankly, boring.
Namita Bhandare writes on gender. The views expressed are personal
