Nicola and Theresa. Phwooar.

The Daily Mail’s headline “Legs-it” about Scottish First Minister and British Prime Minister Theresa May’s shapely legs was pathetic. But remember, the Mail is written by women, for women, and women judge each other, all the time, harshly and vindictively. Judged especially harshly are women more accomplished or better looking than the average Daily Mail reader.

To call this “sexism” is to miss the point. This isn’t about women being held down by sexist male tittle tattle. Clearly, two of the most powerful people in the country haven’t been held down in any meaningful way. Any executive head of Government is fair game for any and all criticism. What these women have done is rise above the level at which society normally seeks to protect women from abuse.

Male politicians are made fun of for their appearance and clothing all the time. It’s the sea men swim in. Whether it’s Donald Trump’s expensive, but ill-fitting suits and too-long ties like he’s stepped out of a 1980s pop video caricature of a businessman, or Cameron’s forehead, or the fact that middle-aged men are always assumed to be repulsive, this abuse is normal.  The ridicule a male politician faces when he’s seen in public wearing anything other than a blue suit is extraordinary. From Tony Blair wearing a clean barbour, to William Hague’s baseball cap or Cameron’s beachwear, there’s a reason male politicians dress identically. When women’s clothing (far more interesting by the way, than the sober suits of most male politicians) is commented on, it enables a personal brand to be created that much easier. Theresa May’s shoes are like Margaret Thatcher’s handbag. True, women do have to think harder about their clothing – too much leg, cleavage etc… and you immediately invite scorn (of other women, mainly), but the fact the female wardrobe stands out against the endless blue/grey suits and red or blue ties of the male is as much an opportunity as it is a minefield.

Any comment about May’s shoes, for example is part of her deliberately curated brand, and shoe-designers are falling over themselves to get their products onto her feet. This isn’t sexist. Women like shoes, and there’s no reason why Theresa May shouldn’t have fun with them.

Lower down the pecking order there’s a taboo against men commenting negatively on a woman’s appearance, lest you hurt the poor dear’s feelings. Yes male ‘locker room’ banter will discuss who’s attractive, but it’s rude to do so in front of women and by and large, gentlemen don’t. Women don’t typically have these conversations about men in earshot of men either, but describing men as “revolting” or “creepy” is so normal as to be unworthy of comment, and completely unnoticed. May and Sturgeon have risen above this social protection, and are subject to the same rules of engagement as men are. i.e that if we have feelings, tough.

These women are grown-ups doing important jobs. If you think the Mail’s light-hearted front page is an insult to them, you’re an idiot. Of course Sarah Vine who wrote the thing, knows exactly the response it would get, howls of idiot outrage from the usual suspects on Twitter, and from Sturgeon herself. This allows the paper to swat the complaints aside with contempt. This signals to their readership that the Mail is on their side against the bien-pensant left with their idiotic & totalitarian outrage about human trivialities. May by rising above it, does the same. The Mail is one of the Best-selling papers in the UK, and one of the world’s most visited “news” (ish) websites. Who won that exchange?

The po-mo left, obsessed with identity politics, used to being able to bully dissenting opinion down STILL hasn’t got the new rules of the game. Someone’s pointed out the Emperor’s naked, but he’s still acting like he’s in charge and hasn’t noticed the mood’s changed. Yet.

Completely unrelated, but thank you to the Anonymous commenter who wrote this. It cheered me up.