Best ignored? Sorry Foxy, I feel like I'm chasing you round the boards disagreeing with you, but I REALLY disagree with this being activity that is best ignored. As Romany points out, ignoring this kind of behaviour — tactfully turning away from dickheadery — is what women have traditionally been taught to do. Ignoring it, I believe, is the worst thing we can do.

The guy obviously thought he was pretty funny and he can do what he likes. But that doesn't mean the rest of us have to ignore it, or pretend we find these kind of hijinks hilarious so as to be sure that we're not seen as bad sports. We should (as has been done) out him, write about him, lobby for others not to vote for him. We should let it be known that we want our politicians to be intelligent, enlightened, resourceful and erudite.

At least that's what I reckon.

Vanilla: lol

Vanilla, before you “out” Buswell, could I suggest that his actions need to be put into context.

I’m guessing that you don’t know (I certainly don’t) what good side he may have to his character, what good things he may have done in his life, what talents he has that have won him the WA Liberal leadership or what potential he might have for being a good leader or achieving significant things in the future that might be compromised or prevented if people drag him down due to what are really very minor indiscretions.

Let’s be careful here.

Guys -
Look, I'm not particularly upset about some random guy. Hell, I'd never even heard of him until I read the Julie Vickers thread. But, reading about it and the other women present who didn't object, and then reading posts from people saying things like all their friends and colleagues thought it a huge joke; that women who didn't think it was funny had no sense of humour; and that women should lighten up, got me thinking.

I wondered how other women felt about these kinds of incidents(plural). How it made them feel and why we didn't have the guts to stand up and say very firmly and very loudly if we find it unacceptable. Why express our feeling secretly and privately - in this case in a polling booth. This guy, and the guys who talk about women's bicycle seats, etc etc. are drickwads as Vanilla so accurately observed.

So yeah, Usual Suspect, in as much as I'm asking other women their feelings about something that women experience its a gendered thing.
Now Robert says men commonly get it drummed into them that their genitals are ugly so to even it up maybe on another thread men can see how that makes them feel?

Robert, I was trying to think of something analagous to walking into a chemist and finding vaginal deodorants etc. and thought, in light of the perceived ugliness problem...maybe, there could be little make-up kits for a prettier penis? Spangles and little silver stars? Or a Mr. Potato Head-type kit for complete disguise?....Ah I'm sorry, its late. I'm tired .(but you gotta admit the idea has possibilities...)

Romany, I thought the Mister Potato Head thing was a good idea but then a sack of spuds could make it worse. :(

The issue boils down to unhealthy attitudes about sexuality. Sexuality is something to be kept to dark places and snickered about if you want to be daring - or so some seem to believe. If sexuality is treated as shameful then it will attract that kind of attitude and behaviour.

R0bert

Dear Vanilla,

I don't have a problem with your disagreeing with me at all.

However I did not mean to imply that the incident should be ignored, -only the man - who was behaving like an idiot. - I felt that making a big deal out of his behaviour would give him more publicity than he deserved. (An actor does not like playing to an empty house).

But in retrospect - I realize that it's a very thin line, and dividing the incident from the man is not quite feasible.