Aimee Walker
A male reporter is being slammed on social media after asking female world leaders Jacinda Ardern and Sanna Marin a ‘sexist’ question.
Ardern, 42, is the Prime Minister of New Zealand while Marin, 37, is the leader of Finland.
The Finnish PM is in New Zealand on her first official tour and she met with Ardern to discuss several important issues, reports BBC.
However, one journalist downplayed these important matters to ask an ‘idiotic’ question at the press conference in Auckland – and the footage is now going viral.
Watch the awkward moment with the reporter here…
The male reporter, from New Zealand, asked the two leaders why they decided to have this meeting.
Addressing the pair, he said: “A lot of people will be wondering are you two meeting just because you’re similar in age and got a lot of common stuff there.”
This question was interrupted by Ardern, who questioned the reporter on ‘whether or not anyone ever asked Barack Obama and John Key if they met because they were of similar age’.
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The PM remarked: “We, of course, have a higher proportion of men in politics, it’s reality. Because two women meet, it is not simply because of their gender.”
She went on to list the trade relations between the two countries and how they both want to ‘leverage the economic opportunities’, adding: “It’s our job to further it, regardless of our gender.”
At this point, Marin pitched in and agreed that they had met ‘because we are Prime Ministers’.
The awkward moment at the press conference is now the talk of social media, with many criticising the male journalist.
One said: “Imagine the opportunity to ask these two incredibly intelligent people any question you would like and you ask this?”
Another added: “How these wonderful women maintain their composure I don’t know.”
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“How disappointing was that question,” a third remarked.
A fourth person commented: “I can guarantee that NO ONE was wondering if they met because they were similar in age.”
“And yet people are still not convinced it is harder for a woman to being taking seriously,” someone else said.
While another tweeted: “A male journalist has asked NZ PM Jacinda Ardern if she and Finland PM Sanna Marin were meeting because they ‘were similar in age and got a lot of other common stuff’.
“They’re national leaders!!! Blatant insulting mind-numbingly idiotic #sexism.”
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Others have taken to social media and praised Ardern’s ‘informative and educational’ response to the reporter.
A viewer penned: “Jacinda Ardern is just incredible.
“She takes a childish, disrespectful question and manages to construct an intelligent, informative and educational response (backed up with stats) and deliver it with grace and eloquence.
“Huge admiration for our PM.”
In agreement, a second commented: “She dignified his question with a respectful answer of which he didn’t deserve.”
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