Horrified feminists recoiled in unison yesterday when they realised that the empowerment of women also applies to people who don’t share your politics.
The most ardent voices in the fight against the patriarchy bent over backwards to paint the victories of Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom in the Conservative leadership race as a disaster:
You know what women's liberation doesn't look like? A choice of two right-wing, anti-woman leaders who happen to be female. #ToryLeadership
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) July 7, 2016
Great we're gonna have a woman #PrimeMinister…..fuck off a tory is a tory #ShootOnSight pic.twitter.com/T5iJ5oR8yI
— budgie tweets (@ourbrian) July 7, 2016
I dream of the day the UK has a female prime minister and they aren't tory scum ????
— Nancy (@nanceinmypantss) July 7, 2016
While the denizens of the Left can’t bring themselves to enjoy this snapshot of female progress, they are likely to be waiting a while for a palatable woman from their own side to step forward.
The Labour party has never chosen a female leader, Jeremy Corbyn’s inner circle is pretty blokely, and seems increasingly unlikely to be smashed apart by a challenge from Angela Eagle.
The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, don’t even have any female MPs.
The only party to make a real success of elevating women to high office are the Conservatives, despite eschewing heavy-handed methods like all-female shortlists.
Even if this is the “wrong” kind of progress, it looks like the sisterhood will just have to live with it.
We are going to have a female Prime Minister in September. Our second ever. I wish I was excited but I'm not. 🙁
— Naomi Jane FRSA (@naomi_jane) July 7, 2016
Well, we now know absolutely that the next British Prime Minister will be a woman.
Also, an ultra right wing, xenophobic sociopath.
yay
— Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) July 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/eehouls/status/751156424663760896
I want to be really excited about having a female Prime Minister right now but… this feminist doesn’t feel very optimistic.
— Lucy Powrie (@LucyTheReader) July 7, 2016
New career goals: become the first female prime minister who isn't a complete and utter fucking wanker
— b e c k y (@becky_welton) July 7, 2016
I am a feminist.
I am not in any way excited about the current Tory 'Who wants to be a Prime Minister' contest. https://t.co/QpMbCjhB6S— Ruth Jackson (@RuthxJackson) July 7, 2016
It's not the fact she's a woman prime minister it's the fact she's a fucking Tory
— Amy (@L0werThanAmy) July 7, 2016
I'd love to feel excited and empowered by the fact that our next Prime minister will be a woman. Sadly I just feel so disappointed.
— Emily Chick (@EmilyCMusic) July 7, 2016
For all of you loving the idea that at least we're going to have a woman as Prime Minister.
Two words:Margaret
Thatcher#idiots— SaffronKim (@SaffronKim) July 7, 2016
