A Justin Trudeau event that promises 鈥渃ocktails鈥� and 鈥渃andid conversation鈥� got some pretty candid feedback, with women from across the political spectrum decrying the invitation鈥檚 language as sexist, stupid and demeaning to women.
Trudeau tweeted a link to the late Wednesday,and by Thursday morning the electronic invitation, or evite, was making the rounds on social media.
The event is dubbed 鈥淛ustin Unplugged,鈥� and says, 鈥淟adies, you鈥檙e invited to (really) get to know the future prime minister.鈥� Questions are written in cursive text such as, 鈥淲hat is the biggest issue facing women,鈥� and 鈥淲hat鈥檚 your favourite virtue?鈥�
The event is being held Thursday evening at Toronto鈥檚 Burroughes Building, and a single ticket is $250.
One of the first women to express her outrage was Conservative MP Michelle Rempel, followed by NDP Deputy Leader Megan Leslie.
Late Wednesday evening, Rempel tweeted: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the biggest issue facing women? This kind of crap. #allissuesarewomensissues #patronizing.鈥�
What's my favorite virtue?
鈥� Michelle Rempel (@MichelleRempel)
I don't agree with their politics, but JT has some women in his caucus. They must want to....well, I can't imagine.
鈥� Michelle Rempel (@MichelleRempel)
In a post, Leslie said the event 鈥渋sn鈥檛 just demeaning, it鈥檚 stupid.
鈥淪tupid stupid stupid. All issues are women's issues. And you know what, we can wear pants and drive cars and vote and have jobs and we can have political opinions. The economy is a women's issue, Justin. Health Care is a women's issue, Justin. And you know what? Keystone XL *ahem* is a women's issue.鈥�
The backlash spurred Amanda Alvaro, a Liberal consultant, to defend the event and the evite.
"#askjustin is an event organized BY women, FOR women with a (clearly) intriguing evite designed to inspire dialogue. Proud to host tonight.鈥�
Get a grip, people. It's an evite, not a platform. Reading WAY too far into it. Truly curious about the content? Join us tonight
鈥� Amanda Alvaro (@amandaalvaro)
Hours before the event was to get underway, Alvaro released a more detailed statement, saying the event is 鈥渋ntended to reach women who are not always engaged in the political dialogue by appearing fresh and thought provoking and posing intriguing questions.鈥�
The evite, the statement read, was designed to 鈥渆licit interest and intrigue鈥� and not to evoke a standard political invitation.
The questions it posed 鈥渁re not sexist questions. These are questions, among others, meant to provoke conversation and inspire interesting dialogue. The intent was not to offend anybody.鈥�
Alvaro said the invitation had been circulating for a month, and blamed the uproar over 鈥減artisan commentary鈥� that came out over the last day.
The hashtag designed to get dialogue started before the event lit up Twitter late Wednesday and well into Thursday.
Let's be clear. Ldrs should engage directly w/ Cdn women at policy level not at bachelor-eque themed club night. Dumbing us down
鈥� Alise Mills (@graciestyle)
Why does it cost as much to meet you as it costs to see Beyonce live? Is that fair market value
鈥� Laura Moran (@LauraAMoran)
In which political science text did your people unearth the idea that women enjoy political condescension?
鈥� Joe Fantauzzi (@jjfantauzzi)
Dear Justin, Will the Keystone XL pipeline make my butt look fat?
鈥� Tenzin N Tekan (@tenzinster)
$250 for the privilege of having cocktails with Justin Trudeau?! If he were any kind of a gentleman, he'd pick up the tab!
鈥� Kathy Flett (@kathyflett1)
And perhaps the question on everyone's mind:
How much do you regret this right now.
鈥� Scaachi Koul (@Scaachi)
