The Daily Mail has been criticised for a sexist headline that declared, “Forget about Brexit, who won Legs-it!”
A photograph focusing on the legs of Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon and British prime minister Theresa May, accompanies the front-page headline.
The story inside the paper carries on with its sexist theme with another headline reading, “Finest weapons at their command? Those pins!” In a column by Sarah Vine, Sturgeon’s legs are referred to as “altogether more flirty, tantalisingly crossed…a direct attempt at seduction.”
The article refers to the meeting between the leaders of Scotland and Britain about Brexit talks.
The front page appears to be a first edition and had initially only been shared on Twitter. Later editions of the story attempt to play down the headline, with it being described as, “Sarah Vine’s light-hearted verdict on the big showdown.”
However, it still promoted a huge backlash on the social media site, with a number of politicians criticising the headline and the newspaper.
Labour MP Harriet Harman called the Daily Mail ‘moronic’, while Ed Miliband wrote, “The 1950s called and asked for their headline back.” Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn said, “It’s 2017. This sexism must be consigned to history. Shame on the Daily Mail.”
I thought the clocks went forward at the weekend not back 60 years… #legsit #DailyMail
— Sorcha (@sorcsfs) March 28, 2017
The @DailyMailUK sends clear message to every little girl: even if you become PM, we’ll still only care about your bloody legs. #LegsIt #FFS pic.twitter.com/lU6V0rzPOO
— Zoë Kelland (@ZoeKelland) March 28, 2017
We can compare this sexist photo to the one of Alex Salmond and David Cameron. Oh wait…said photo doesn’t exist. @DailyMailUK #legsit pic.twitter.com/NCTzSnFSWk
— Shannon (@ShannonSwaffer) March 28, 2017
Imagine being a woman AND leading an entire country, only for nonsense newspapers to be talking about your physical appearance ??? #legsit
— Tiger Lily (@tigermakeuroar) March 28, 2017
