STORY OF THE WEEK

Finland’s PM Passed Her Drugs Test – Now For The Rest of the World Leaders

The leaked video of 36-year-old Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, dancing at a party in a private apartment has sparked controversy and criticism this week.  

Despite not missing a single day of work since her election in 2019, and passing the drugs test to clear up unsubstantiated claims about the party, she remains under fire. 

Male global leaders such as Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are frequently absolved of any consequence for their ‘scandalous’ behaviour, which echoes the all-too-common excuse, ‘boys will be boys’.  

Were either of these male leaders handed this unjustified criticism or demanded to take a drugs test following their many public scandals? Or are our female leaders, perhaps, held to higher standards which are innately rooted in sexism?  

Across social media, women are standing (well, dancing) in solidarity with Marin, by posting videos of themselves grooving alongside the hashtag #SolidarityWithSanna.

Rikke Dal Stottrup of Danish magazine Alt for Damerne, said “It seems like certain people still today have a hard time comprehending the fact that you can be both a young woman […] and a competent politician at the same time”. 

This prompts us to question our own work-life balance and the pressures we all face to conform in professional environments. Being able to balance our sense of self appropriately and to be accepted for our whole selves at work is not possible without inclusive work environments. If we want to welcome diversity into our workplaces, we must expand our view of what ‘professional’ looks like, beyond the stereotypical norm of white, cis, straight and male.  

In the words of Marin herself, ‘even politicians need joy, light and fun’. May she continue to dance.  

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Rwanda. In response, they are rapidly expanding their screening efforts, as well as using community health workers who go door to door in villages spreading awareness and encouraging attendance of screenings. Their HPV vaccination programme has been so successful it has surpassed many wealthier countries, including the UK, and they are among the frontrunners of eradicating cervical cancer, alongside Australia. Africa as a continent has historically struggled acutely with cervical cancer due to the difficulty of accessing public health services and the high costs of screening, making Rwanda’s achievements even more significant.

Harry Styles is the star of upcoming romance drama My Policeman which features a gay relationship. Styles’ own sexuality has long been a topic of interest as he refuses to give into demands to label himself. He has therefore been accused of ‘queer-baiting’ - adopting a queer image without actually being part of that community. This accusation is largely prompted by his subversive fashion style, often adopting a more ‘feminine’ look, and generally having a “playful relationship”with his gender self-expression. Whether Styles publicly shares his sexual preference or not is entirely his decision - we are not owed it. Regardless, his queer solidarity and subversion of gender stereotypes is something to be celebrated.