LEAD Leader, Linda Masarira has criticised MDC-T top official Obert Gutu for derogatory statements on Twitter towards women. Gutu on 27 October told Miriam Mutizwa (an entrepreneur and prominent political commentator on Twitter that she is ugly. Mutizwa had joked that Gutu was given T-Shirts by Zanu PF to change his stance on the issue of Sanctions which Gutu had been asked to account for.
I do not support discrimination, defamation, any form of undermining women, marginalisation, derogatory statements towards women on their looks and victimisation. Male leaders in Zimbabwe seem to be in competition to attack women’s facial looks.
If leaders are masters of sexism, misogyny and defamation of character. I have heard (dis)honourable MPs calling women MPs “hure”, I have heard at women themselves are in the forefront of body shaming other women to the extent that women in Zimbabwe cannot stand together to fight misogyny, patriarchal dominance and sexist statements. These misogynistic leaders are toxic for Zimbabwe & we can never achieve gender parity.
In short I condemn @GutuObert body shaming @mimmitwit yesterday. Leaders should lead by example how do followers learn to respect each other when leaders are maestros of body shaming. Let us differ on ideas, criticize ideas. We are wonderfully created in God’s image.
Said Gutu:
Tinyararirepo iwe mukadzi wekushata iwe…
Ini handiteste zvakashata sewe…. There are beautiful women out there. Attractive & beautiful women, not ugly women like yourself.
