意总理遭10万女性联名声讨
100,000 women say they're offended by Berlusconi
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi arrives for a meeting with Libya's Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, not seen, in Italian government's Palazzo Chigi headquarters, in Rome, Friday, Oct. 16, 2009.
More than 100,000 women have signed a petition saying they are offended by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi -- an initiative launched by a newspaper after the premier made a sexist remark to an opposition politician.
Berlusconi, 73, made the jab during a call in to a late-night talk show Oct. 7 that featured, among other guests, Rosy Bindi, a 58-year-old former minister who dresses conservatively, wears glasses and has short, gray hair.
"You are always more beautiful than intelligent," Berlusconi told her. She snapped back: "I'm not one of the women at your disposal."
Berlusconi's remark sparked outrage, and prompted three prominent Italian intellectuals to draft a petition stating that Berlusconi uses women's bodies for his political ends, denigrating women and democracy in the process.
"This man offends us. Stop him," reads the petition, which has been signed by well-known Italian artists, musicians, television personalities as well as ordinary Italians.
The left-leaning La Repubblica daily, which has been at the forefront of exposing accusations of impropriety against Berlusconi over his relations with young women and been sued by the premier as a result, is organizing the petition and reported Thursday that more than 100,000 women had signed.
Many women sent their photos into the newspaper's Web site, with the words "offended by the premier" or "not at your disposal" or similar statements written on them.
Berlusconi's scandal began earlier this year when his wife announced she was divorcing him, citing his presence at the birthday party of an 18-year-old model and his decision to run former showgirls as candidates for European Parliament elections.
jab: a quick stab or blow 猛戳,猛击
snap back: 反驳说(The Third World snaps back that such concerns are merely modern versions of colonialism. 第三世界反驳说,这种关注只不过是殖民主义的现代翻版而已。)
at one's disposal: available to someone 由某人随意支配
denigrate: to disparage; belittle 诋毁,贬低(We must be fair competitors and must never denigrate other firms. 我们必须公平竞争,绝不诋毁其他公司。)
showgirl: a woman, typically attired in an elaborately decorated costume, who performs in a musical or theatrical production 歌舞女郎 |
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