Wes Streeting has criticized Donald Trump for his disrespectful remarks towards a female journalist, where he referred to her as “Quiet! Quiet, piggy.”
Addressing the incident, the Health Secretary emphasized that such behavior towards women should be a thing of the past and expressed disbelief that a prominent British politician would speak in such a derogatory manner to a female reporter.
Streeting, who voiced concerns for his own sisters, stated that such language is inappropriate and unprofessional. The incident occurred when Trump directed a demeaning comment at Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey while responding to a question about the Epstein files during a flight to Washington on Air Force One.
Upon viewing the footage of Trump’s offensive comments on ITV’s This Morning, Streeting unequivocally condemned the behavior, emphasizing the need to move away from such disrespectful conduct towards women.
Highlighting the ongoing battle against sexism and misogyny in society, Streeting underscored the importance of shifting cultural perceptions of masculinity. He expressed concern over online radicalization efforts targeting young men with sexist and misogynistic ideologies, emphasizing the need for better role models and rejecting the notion that disrespect towards women defines manhood.
Streeting, who is unveiling England’s first Men’s Health Strategy, stressed the importance of redefining societal norms around masculinity and promoting positive behaviors among men.
The strategy, set to be released by the government, aims to address critical issues affecting men’s health such as suicide, alcohol misuse, and problem gambling. It acknowledges the reluctance of men to seek help and their higher likelihood of engaging in harmful behaviors compared to women. The government plans to invest £3.6 million over three years in suicide prevention initiatives targeting middle-aged men in at-risk communities, particularly in deprived areas of England.