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| German Politician’s Remark Stirs Outcry Over Sexism | German Politician’s Remark Stirs Outcry Over Sexism |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BERLIN — A comment by a male politician about how well a female journalist could “fill out a dirndl” has prompted an outcry from women across Germany and a furious debate over the prevalence of casual sexism in Europe’s largest economy. | BERLIN — A comment by a male politician about how well a female journalist could “fill out a dirndl” has prompted an outcry from women across Germany and a furious debate over the prevalence of casual sexism in Europe’s largest economy. |
| The unwelcome aside about the woman and the dirndl, the cleavage-revealing traditional dress, by Rainer Brüderle, a leader of the pro-business Free Democrats, led thousands of women to take to Twitter, sharing personal stories of humiliation, embarrassment and harassment under the hashtag “aufschrei,” German for “outcry,” in the days since the controversy arose. | The unwelcome aside about the woman and the dirndl, the cleavage-revealing traditional dress, by Rainer Brüderle, a leader of the pro-business Free Democrats, led thousands of women to take to Twitter, sharing personal stories of humiliation, embarrassment and harassment under the hashtag “aufschrei,” German for “outcry,” in the days since the controversy arose. |
| Newspapers and television talk shows have parsed the encounter between Mr. Brüderle and the journalist, Laura Himmelreich, which took place on the eve of a party congress last year. Ms. Himmelreich first wrote about it for the newsweekly Stern after Mr. Brüderle last week was named the top candidate for the Free Democrats in September’s parliamentary election. | Newspapers and television talk shows have parsed the encounter between Mr. Brüderle and the journalist, Laura Himmelreich, which took place on the eve of a party congress last year. Ms. Himmelreich first wrote about it for the newsweekly Stern after Mr. Brüderle last week was named the top candidate for the Free Democrats in September’s parliamentary election. |
| The article and ensuing furor came less than a month after the leading candidate for the left-leaning Social Democrats declared that Chancellor Angela Merkel benefited from a “women’s bonus” with the electorate. That drew criticism, though on nothing like the scale of the recent controversy. | The article and ensuing furor came less than a month after the leading candidate for the left-leaning Social Democrats declared that Chancellor Angela Merkel benefited from a “women’s bonus” with the electorate. That drew criticism, though on nothing like the scale of the recent controversy. |
| Mr. Brüderle tapped a deep vein of resentment among women here, particularly over their treatment in the workplace. Despite the fact that Germany is home to Ms. Merkel, one of the world’s most powerful leaders, many professional women say gender relations are surprisingly backward for a developed country and years behind the United States when it comes to workplace equality and, in particular, sexual innuendo. | Mr. Brüderle tapped a deep vein of resentment among women here, particularly over their treatment in the workplace. Despite the fact that Germany is home to Ms. Merkel, one of the world’s most powerful leaders, many professional women say gender relations are surprisingly backward for a developed country and years behind the United States when it comes to workplace equality and, in particular, sexual innuendo. |
| “Sexual harassment is all too often viewed as a trivial offense, taken as a misunderstanding of the situation because ‘it was meant as a compliment,’ ” said Sarah Elsuni, an interim professor for public law and gender studies at Humboldt University in Berlin. | “Sexual harassment is all too often viewed as a trivial offense, taken as a misunderstanding of the situation because ‘it was meant as a compliment,’ ” said Sarah Elsuni, an interim professor for public law and gender studies at Humboldt University in Berlin. |
| She welcomed the debate for drawing attention to what she sees as a serious social problem that usually goes unpunished. “Women are too often afraid to bring the issue up when it happens,” she said. | She welcomed the debate for drawing attention to what she sees as a serious social problem that usually goes unpunished. “Women are too often afraid to bring the issue up when it happens,” she said. |
| Women in Germany earn on average 22 percent less than men in equivalent positions, placing them fourth from the bottom among their European counterparts in terms of pay equality and well below countries known for macho cultures, like Italy, Portugal and Romania. They are also underrepresented in top-level management. An effort to require equal representation on boards last year went nowhere. | |
| A mother who spends more time focusing on her job than relatives and nosy neighbors deem appropriate is called “Rabenmutter,” or “raven mother,” an aspersion that sounds as though it came from the era of the Grimm brothers fairy tales but that is still in use today. | A mother who spends more time focusing on her job than relatives and nosy neighbors deem appropriate is called “Rabenmutter,” or “raven mother,” an aspersion that sounds as though it came from the era of the Grimm brothers fairy tales but that is still in use today. |
| Nicole Simon, 42, a social media consultant in Germany, described the outpouring as an example of the years of pent-up frustration over episodes that are so common that women learn to simply block them out. | Nicole Simon, 42, a social media consultant in Germany, described the outpouring as an example of the years of pent-up frustration over episodes that are so common that women learn to simply block them out. |
| “Consensus online seemed to be, ‘I thought I could not share these stories, but reading all the other things, I am surprised at how much I have suppressed over the years,’ ” Ms. Simon wrote in an e-mail. | “Consensus online seemed to be, ‘I thought I could not share these stories, but reading all the other things, I am surprised at how much I have suppressed over the years,’ ” Ms. Simon wrote in an e-mail. |
| A woman who gave her name as Gudrun Lux posted about seeing her application for a job rejected because, she was told, “the boss does not want any women of childbearing age.” Another calling herself Su-Shee recounted interviewing a young male applicant who asked to see “the real boss, the man.” | A woman who gave her name as Gudrun Lux posted about seeing her application for a job rejected because, she was told, “the boss does not want any women of childbearing age.” Another calling herself Su-Shee recounted interviewing a young male applicant who asked to see “the real boss, the man.” |
| Mr. Brüderle, the politician, has refused to comment publicly on the accusations, and several members of his party have come to his defense. Long before the story broke, however, the Free Democrats came under criticism as an old boys’ club. | |
| “You are confronted with unbelievable headwinds if you are a woman,” said Doris Buchholz, leader of a national group of women associated with the Free Democrats, in a telephone interview. “I have experienced being told that they would like to have good-looking women on their election posters, ‘because sex sells.’ ” | “You are confronted with unbelievable headwinds if you are a woman,” said Doris Buchholz, leader of a national group of women associated with the Free Democrats, in a telephone interview. “I have experienced being told that they would like to have good-looking women on their election posters, ‘because sex sells.’ ” |
| The uproar could have political repercussions for Ms. Merkel as well. The Free Democrats are her party’s coalition partner in government, and the party hoped that Mr. Brüderle would pull them out of a lasting tailspin that has seen the party drummed out of several state Parliaments. Instead, he has polarized their already fractured voting base. Without a strong showing by the Free Democrats in September Ms. Merkel could have a difficult time winning re-election. | The uproar could have political repercussions for Ms. Merkel as well. The Free Democrats are her party’s coalition partner in government, and the party hoped that Mr. Brüderle would pull them out of a lasting tailspin that has seen the party drummed out of several state Parliaments. Instead, he has polarized their already fractured voting base. Without a strong showing by the Free Democrats in September Ms. Merkel could have a difficult time winning re-election. |
| Germany is no stranger to debates over women’s roles and image in society. Recent years have seen the extension of parental benefits to include fathers and a push to expand publicly financed day care in an effort to help women with families and careers. | |
| But the comments of many men who weighed in on Twitter reflected the heart of the problem. While there were voices of support, and even shame, at times the number of provocateurs making light of the debate overshadowed those voicing sympathy. | But the comments of many men who weighed in on Twitter reflected the heart of the problem. While there were voices of support, and even shame, at times the number of provocateurs making light of the debate overshadowed those voicing sympathy. |
| One man calling himself Blawpp wrote, “The outcry campaign is good because it lets us know how psychotic women talk and think so we can better avoid them.” Another named Christoph commented, “Thank God I don’t have any female colleagues who get upset every time I tell them to use their feminine charm more.” | One man calling himself Blawpp wrote, “The outcry campaign is good because it lets us know how psychotic women talk and think so we can better avoid them.” Another named Christoph commented, “Thank God I don’t have any female colleagues who get upset every time I tell them to use their feminine charm more.” |
| According to the Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, 58 percent of German women say they have been subjected to sexual harassment, with more than 42 percent of the cases happening on the job. | According to the Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, 58 percent of German women say they have been subjected to sexual harassment, with more than 42 percent of the cases happening on the job. |
| Aynur Eroglu, a 20-year-old in Berlin who works in sales, says she is no stranger to sexual harassment at her job, where most of the customers are male. | Aynur Eroglu, a 20-year-old in Berlin who works in sales, says she is no stranger to sexual harassment at her job, where most of the customers are male. |
| “It happens all the time,” Ms. Eroglu said. “They get touchy or tell me how great my butt looks, saying they’d love to take me home.” | “It happens all the time,” Ms. Eroglu said. “They get touchy or tell me how great my butt looks, saying they’d love to take me home.” |
| “All you can do is walk by and ignore them, or if it gets to be too much tell them to leave,” she added. “They don’t always listen.” | “All you can do is walk by and ignore them, or if it gets to be too much tell them to leave,” she added. “They don’t always listen.” |