Stephanie Rodgers

Feminist, leftie, green māmā from Te Whanganui-a-Tara

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Why #Ponytailgate is serious business

As broken by The Daily Blog today and corroborated by the Prime Minister’s office:

The Prime Minister has apologised to a waitress who accused him of repeatedly pulling her hair at an Auckland cafe.

The waitress made the claims  in an anonymous blog post. She is said to be by a waitress at a cafe frequented by John Key and his wife Bronagh near their Parnell mansion.

My thoughts, as I dashed them off to Twitter earlier:

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590653841676361729

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654018487242752

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654137689333761

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654307856478208

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654521241640960

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654671838191616

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654762116390912

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590654897990819840

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590655100596662272

(I was corrected: the manager is a woman.)

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590655234831212544

https://twitter.com/bootstheory/status/590655299335360514

Sadly, I expect this will be like so many stories of its kind: a one- or two-day wonder in the media, breathless headlines about “what the waitress said about the PM”, and then we’ll all move on.

Some related reading on the general principles:

10 responses to “Why #Ponytailgate is serious business”

  1. jenny kirk Avatar
    jenny kirk

    I reckon the PM is a sleazy creep. And I would ask anyone with young girls who have long hair to keep them well away from him. And other young women with long hair – stay back.
    This guy has a hair fetish, and goodness knows where it will take him in the future …….

    Reply
    1. Stephanie Rodgers Avatar
      Stephanie Rodgers

      “Sleazy creep” I absolutely agree with, but not “hair fetish”. We don’t need to make assumptions about fetishists, or give armchair-diagnoses for Key’s behaviour. It’s inappropriate and gross and he’s a grown man who can be expected to keep his hands to himself.

      Reply
  2. On John Key’s “fetish” | Boots Theory

    […] Why #Ponytailgate is serious business […]

    Reply
  3. Hello Avatar
    Hello

    Is it ok to rub John Keys combover for luck if we say sorry and buy him a drink?

    Reply
    1. Stephanie Rodgers Avatar
      Stephanie Rodgers

      Of course not. Because any unwanted touching of another person is wrong. And I’m not a fan of this “lol let’s joke about sexually harassing John Key!” trope that’s emerged.

      Reply
      1. Hello Avatar
        Hello

        Ok, good call. Thanks Stephanie. I will ask the PM first.

  4. Deborah Russell on Jane Austen, rape culture and John Key | Boots Theory

    […] connection to John Key’s sexual harassment of Amanda Bailey should be obvious – but head over to Deborah’s and read the whole […]

    Reply
  5. Top 10 posts of 2015 | Boots Theory

    […] Why #Ponytailgate is serious business […]

    Reply
  6. Beware, creepy men of the right: Rawshark returns (briefly) | Boots Theory

    […] So here’s my question, rightwing dudes: you love demanding that other people denounce extremism in their culture or party or religion. Are you going to denounce Jordan Williams and Luigi Wewege, and any other man who’s “taken one for the team” to manufacture a political scandal?  Or are you happy for us to assume that all rightwing men are sleazy creeps? […]

    Reply
  7. Beware, creepy men of the right: Rawshark returns (briefly) « The Standard

    […] So here’s my question, rightwing dudes: you love demanding that other people denounce extremism in their culture or party or religion. Are you going to denounce Jordan Williams and Luigi Wewege, and any other man who’s “taken one for the team” to manufacture a political scandal?  Or are you happy for us to assume that all rightwing men are sleazy creeps? […]

    Reply

What do you reckon?