“I want my daughters to grow up to be fierce, strong, independent, amazing people. I think they can still do that and show kindness to other people and be polite and have manners.” That’s what Jenny Morrison said during Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s appearance on 60 Minutes last night. It was in response to Grace Tame’s now-famous appearance at that Australian of the Year event – and those viral pics of her not smiling next to the PM.
Search “politeness” and you’ll find synonyms like “civil” and “courteous”, “being socially correct” and “the absence of rudeness”. All of these are grey-area concepts that rely on what one party deems to be acceptable and unacceptable. Mix in a little historical misogyny and you’ve got one hell of a problem term when it’s applied to women.
