Women on the right are bearing the brunt of political sexism

It’s rather encouraging that there are so many women dominating the political scene – Ruth Davidson, Nicola Sturgeon, Hillary Clinton, Angela Eagle, Theresa May…and Sarah Vine.

After years of living under a male prime minister, a male opposition leader, and a male president, it is an exciting time for women in politics. But along with this shift comes a torrent of sexism – and none worse than that suffered by women on the political right in the past week.

During yesterday’s spectacular backstabbing of Boris Johnson by Michael Gove, one phrase kept emerging in relation to his wife Sarah Vine, a columnist for the Daily Mail – “Lady Macbeth”. She was labelled in this way by no less than five national publications and, on social media, it was tweeted and retweeted over and over again.

I retweeted it myself, thinking it was hilarious – and then I realised my mistake. Why was I sharing in this sexist trope as though it marked the very height of political wit? I’ve never begrudged a powerful woman her time before; what had changed now? Just because I find her views rather odious, that doesn't mean it's okay to attack based on gender.

The same goes for Theresa May. Much of the discussion of her campaign launch yesterday centred around her “sartorial style”. A friend of mine commenting that they “couldn’t trust a woman in such a drab jacket.”

Facebook posts remarked that she’d bought herself some shoulder pads to emulate Margaret Thatcher, a warning that she’s anything but a liberal Conservative. Can you imagine that conversation replayed, but this time about Gove or the outsider in the race, Stephen Crabb? “I see Mr Gove has opted for a grey suit – yes Susan, I kid you not, a grey suit – which harks back to John Major, circa 1995 – does that mean he intends on adopting Major’s policy reforms?”

Theresa might be a fan of the power jacket, but that doesn’t mean that she intends to paint herself as Thatcher resurrected. And since when did a woman who supports her husband’s career become little more than “Lady Macbeth”, standing in waiting with a knife, blood pouring from her hands?

These women have one thing in common: they are on the right of the political spectrum. When it comes to a member of the "caring sex" aligning herself with the “nasty party”, any lessons once learned about the treatment of women in public life are instantly forgotten. Let’s not forget that when Margaret Thatcher passed away, her detractors sang “Ding-dong! The Witch Is Dead” in the streets.

This isn’t just the cut and thrust of modern politics. Still, today, no male politician would be scrutinised on the basis of the actions of a predecessors some 30-years hence on the basis that he, also, happened to be born male. It’s different for women on the left – the Labour Party has no former female prime minister to compare its women to.

The language used to describe women on the right this week has been unfeminist at best, deeply insulting at its worst. We are facing unprecedented challenges as a nation that needs clear leadership and a balanced debate. That debate should be gender neutral.

Theresa May has her merits as a Conservative candidate, as well as drawbacks, but her sex should not be a factor in her campaign – and nor should her choice of jacket.