A Liberal Senator Tried To Prove He Cares About Women’s Rights By Literally Talking Over A Woman
“Ben, we’re talking about respect for women in the workplace, are you going to talk over me?”
If men in politics have proved anything, it’s that they really don’t know how to read the room or hold their tongue.
Back in November last year, Scott Morrison literally interrupted Senior Minister Anne Ruston in a strange attempt at proving he, and Parliament House, respect women very much. Sadly, yesterday Liberal senator, Ben Small, basically did the same thing to Labor Party MP Kate Thwaites.
As the pair sat on an ABC panel to discuss the March 4 Justice rallies that happened across Australia this week, Thwaites was rudely interrupted by Small’s attempts to mansplain women’s rights issues.
While Thwaites allowed Small to share his thoughts on the Prime Minister’s horrific bullet comments from earlier in the week without interruption or interjection, the Liberal senator wasn’t able to show Thwaites the same respect.
I went on ABC tv to talk about why the #March4Justice was so important and Morrison Government Senator Ben Small decided to talk over me. It's so distressing just how much this Government doesn't get it. #auspol #mansplained pic.twitter.com/MbJawrNBzw
— Kate Thwaites (@ThwaitesKate) March 16, 2021
When Kate Thwaites was asked whether criticism of Scott Morrison, who didn’t attend the march outside Parliament House, had been too harsh, Ben Small rudely and constantly interrupted the MP as she literally spoke about women needing to be heard.
“No. The Prime Minister could just not be further from what is going on in this country,” Thwaites said. “I was out at that march, as well as a lot of other Labor figures and some government figures were as well.”
“The power, the anger, the feeling that people’s voices aren’t being heard. That is what the PM is not acknowledging and I entirely–, ” Thwaites continued before Small rudely cut her off to defend the Scott Morrison.
“The same Prime Minister that opened his door and invited,” Small interjected to note that while not choosing to attend the rally, Scott Morrison did invite organisers to a private meeting that they declined. “That same Prime Minister that invited those representatives into his office? The highest… the highest office in the land?”
As expected, Thwaites was rightfully frustrated by the senator’s decision to interrupt her as she spoke about the importance of women being heard, and how men like the Prime Minister just don’t get it.
“Are you going to talk over me on this? Are you really going to talk over me on this issue?” Thwaites asked the senator, who just continued to talk over her. “Ben, we’re talking about respect for women in the workplace, are you going to talk over me?”
Not seeing the clear irony at play, Ben Small then chucked a hissy fit and asked for a “respectful conversation” after Thwaites fittingly called him out for disrespectfully talking over her.
Woman: The feeling that people’s voices are not being heard.
Man: Let me interrupt you right there missy.#DoBetter #auspol #BenSmall https://t.co/kLHGbgUHkQ
— Mira Stammers (@MiraStammers) March 16, 2021
When the reporter controlling the panel finally stepped in, she did offer Kate Thwaites the opportunity to finish her answer but the MP was obviously thrown off a little.
“Sorry, I have lost my train of thought a bit because I got talked over,” she ended her point. “The Prime Minister does not get it. He does not understand what is happening with women in this place and in this country.”
But clearly not understanding isn’t just a fault of the Prime Minister if Ben Small’s attempt at showing respect for women is anything to go by. Oh men, you really do love to dig your own graves.