Sexist and degrading for the female gender was characterized the reference of Dimitris Koutsoumbas from the podium of the Parliament yesterday for female students looking for sugar daddies to cover their expenses from tuition fees.
On the occasion of the debate on the Ministry of Education’s bill on non-state universities and addressing PASOK commenting on the proposal of Harilaou Trikoupis to adopt the Scandinavian model in higher education, the KKE general secretary said: “the imposition of tuition fees forces female students to look for sugar daddies to cover their studies. You probably need to find another capitalist example to copy.”
His phrase stirred up a storm of reactions with government and opposition MPs strongly disapproving of what Koutsoumbas said, to the point that some accused him of trying to go viral on internet humor sites.
“This is a despicable, unacceptable, sexist and highly degrading statement for the female gender,” stresses the press spokesman of the New Democracy, Nikos Romanos.
“Just imagine what would happen if this abjection had been said by a politician of any other country,” he adds.
Perissos’ response came a few hours later, stressing that “in their attempt to defend their reactionary and unconstitutional bill for the establishment of private universities, the government’s representatives had so far resorted to lies, slander and authoritarianism.”
And they add that if the representatives of the New Democracy party are looking for despicable, unacceptable, sexist and degrading situations for the female gender, let them look at the events of their student party, in other words, “let them look in the mirror”.
“For over a century women have been fighting for our rights in education, in work, in society without needing the help or permission of any man.
Comments that imply the opposite, even on the eve of International Women’s Day, devalue these struggles, devalue human rights,” said ND parliamentary representative Maria Syrengela.
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“Surprise and sadness are caused by today’s reports of the general secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, from the floor of the Parliament.
Sexism and misogyny have no place on the Left,” Voula Kechagia, spokesperson of SYRIZA, commented to X.
At the same time, the party’s feminist section issued a statement in which, among other things, it was noted, “Is this the position and argument of an opposition party against the despicable bill for the establishment of non-state universities?
Women today are struggling every day against a patriarchal society that refuses to change, full of gender stereotypes. A society of violence and authoritarian attitudes towards women.
All we don’t need is sexist comments from within parliament from the supposed defenders of equality.”
