Canadian female politicians face scrutiny beyond that of their male colleagues on everything from their clothes to leadership abilities, and like Julia Gillard who ran to be Australia's first elected female prime minister last week, they're also criticized for not being married, and not have children, say political observers. They fear such criticism is deterring some potentially viable female public office holders from stepping onto the political scene.

Ms. Gillard has been criticized for not being able to fully understand voters because she is "deliberately barren." Much ink has been spilled over her ever-changing style of signature red hair and fashion sense.

While the criticisms Ms. Gillard has faced for being an unmarried female politician without children is unmatched in recent Canadian political history, several observers say it's still a problem in Canada.

"Women have to be asked and encouraged much more to actually enter politics because they do see it as a negative. And, frankly, they think 'Why should I have to put up with this stuff?'" says Carleton University political scientist Melissa Haussman.

Ms. Gillard, 48, has faced criticisms about her lack of a nuclear family since first being elected as a centre-left Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives in 1998. In late June of this year, the then-deputy prime minister deposed her boss, Kevin Rudd, to become Australia's first female PM. She spent the last five weeks campaigning to hold on to the top spot against conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott. While Mr. Abbott is a married father of three, Ms. Gillard lives with her partner, Tim Mathieson, a former hairdresser who doesn't mind cooking her favourite lamb roast for dinner.

Earlier this year, a Liberal Senator questioned Ms. Gillard's ability to "understand the way parents think" about virginity because she doesn't have children.

While Sylvia Bashevkin can't think of a similar current Canadian example, the principal of University College at the University of Toronto and author of Women, Power, Politics: The Hidden Story of Canada's Unfinished Democracy says Canadian political history shows far more scrutiny of female politicians' appearances and leadership styles than males.

"Agnes Macphail, the first woman MP to enter the House of Commons...was described in the pages of the Canadian press as a humourless spinster who wore not very fashionable clothes," says Prof. Bashevkin. "And we can see it all the way through to [former MP] Belinda Stronach, who was at the other end of the fashion spectrum and income spectrum to Agnes Macphail."

Female politicians can't get a break, says Prof. Bashevkin. While Ms. Macphail was criticized for being aloof and spinsterly, Ms. Stronach was seen as too lively, with a personal life too exciting for politics.

Prof. Bashevkin notes that some commentators described the leadership style of Canada's first female prime minister, Kim Campbell (Vancouver Centre, B.C.) as "too assertive and too aggressive," and early 1990s NDP leader Audrey McLaughlin (Yukon) as "too consensus-based" and deferential.

"There is attention to the way men dress in Canadian politics. There is, in relative terms, far more focus on appearance and leadership style of the women," she argues.

Irene Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe, Ont.), the NDP's status of women critic, can attest to that.

Although she says people in her riding take her leadership seriously, "I can't always say that that was true. Twenty years ago, when I was [an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament], [NDP MPP for Nickel Belt, Ont.], Shelley Martel and I appeared in Question Period in a similar outfit. And that became a media issue for about three days," her voice rises with a hint of sarcasm. "And they seem to have forgotten the fact, or not noticed, that there were 125 men sitting there dressed exactly the same."

She says she can't recall the marital status of Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, a single mother, or former NDP leaders Alexa McDonough and Ms. McLaughlin, both divorced mothers of two children each, as coming up as issues along the campaign trail.

"Maybe [former prime minister Pierre] Trudeau [Mount Royal, Que.] was right: The issues of the bedroom are private and personal."

Nancy Peckford, executive director of Equal Voice, a national group devoted to electing more women in Canada, says there tends not to be the same preoccupation with men's personal lives, unless they are directly related to politics. For instance, Defence Minister Peter MacKay's relationship with Ms. Stronach became a hot story in 2005 when Ms. Stronach, then a Conservative, crossed the floor to join the Liberals, effectively breaking off their romance. Likewise, former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier's (Beauce, Que.) relationship with Julie Couillard became Question Period fodder when it was revealed he left secret cabinet documents at her home.

"It's very hard for women with kids to be politicians; they get asked, 'Who's taking care of your children or husband?' Rarely are these questions asked of men politicians," says Prof. Bashevkin.

But Gwen Landolt, a lawyer and national vice president of the conservative women's group REAL Women of Canada, says there's no double standard.

In the case of Ms. Gillard, she says the Labor leader's marital status is a minor part of larger criticism levelled against her, for instance, for suggesting Australia should become a republic once Queen Elizabeth II dies and the way she revolted against Mr. Rudd.

"Even before she called the election, she said, 'Well, Australians will not vote for a single, childless woman.' She said it. She provoked [the criticisms]," says Ms. Landolt.

Besides that, "When you run for political office, you have to know that's part and parcel of it, whether you're a man or a woman. And they're going to attack you in any way that they can, if you appear to be vulnerable," she added. "If you don't like it, it's too bad; get out of the political scene. But to say, 'Oh, poor me,' I mean, it's offensive to a lot of women."

Whether or not women should get politically involved or are ready to take the risk is not the point, says Ms. Peckford.

"There should be a political culture that's inviting and welcoming of what women have to offer, whether or not they have children," she says.

Female politicians are at a disadvantage to respond to such attacks because, in being judged against their male counterparts, they start from a position of weakness because they are not considered to be typical politicians, says Prof. Haussman.

"If you're trying to frame a candidacy around who's married to whom, nine times out of 10 it's going to affect the person with less social power worse than it is the male who's seen as the traditional politician," she says. "There are questions of who's in the centre and who's not in the centre and who's trying to scale a wall to get in."

Ms. Peckford says she is concerned about potential female politicians who decide to pass up political life after hearing about mud-slinging involving female politicians' personal lives such as in the case of Ms. Gillard.

A survey of 292 female and male Parliamentarians in 110 countries conducted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union between 2006 and 2008 indicated that "respondents believe prejudice and cultural perceptions about the role of women, together with a lack of financial resources, to be among the most influential obstacles [for entry into political life.]"

That's all the more distressing if Canadians want a truly democratic Parliament reflective of today's society, not only geographically, says Prof. Bashevkin, because not all adult citizens are married with children.

"It's important that this Australian case leads us to question our own system as well," she says. "I think we have a responsibility as citizens to try and prevent that kind of stereotyping. It will help us to attract a more diverse group of public leaders in the future, people who believe they go into public service to actually serve the public."

Late last week, polls had Ms. Gillard and Mr. Abbott competing neck-and-neck for the prime ministerial post. Whether public opinion may have been swayed by criticisms against Ms. Gillard's lifestyle was uncertain. Prof. Haussman believes only a small percentage of voters are swayed by negative remarks about a female politician's marital status or childlessness.

"It may not, and hopefully won't, affect the outcome of this election in Australia, but if it becomes persistent enough and people tend to turn out those voters to whom this is relevant to, then it's a problem."

Australians went to the polls on Aug. 28, and as of press time last week, the outcome was not known.

kshane@hilltimes.com

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