I don’t feel that I’m a traitor to the sisterhood, but I can’t take those whining ninnies bleating on about how dreadfully hurt they are by Evarist Bartolo’s comments about the PN trying to reclaim its virginity. For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to be insulted by the minister’s words, the gist of his comments was that the Nationalist Party is like a brothel-keeper or prostitute who undertakes an operation to have her virginity restored.

The ‘born-again’ virgin could then take up with a new partner, fooling him into thinking that she had never played around before. Those were the minister’s actual words. What was clearly intended – and what was clearly understood by everyone barring the partisan harpies willfully set on misunderstanding everything – was that the PN was trying to rehabilitate its reputation to appear transparent and credible.

It doesn’t have to be pointed out that the comment wasn’t a literal one but a figure of speech – a metaphor, if you like – and quite an apt one at that. More to the point, it is not in the least bit sexist but simply stating the obvious biological reality that only women can undergo this type of operation. If mentioning operations which are female-specific is to be considered sexist then I guess that would rule out mentioning female circumcision or hysterectomies.

And it is not in any way misogynistic because it is no way advocating having this operation. As for being vulgar – why don’t those women having the equivalent of a Victorian fit of the vapours, get real? What’s vulgar about mentioning virginity or operations? Despite several misleading reports to the contrary, the minister was not graphic in his speech.

Despite all this being patently obvious to the great majority of women, this did not stop an outbreak of hysteria from the PN ranks. MP Claudette Pace stated that she would be reporting Bartolo to the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality for it to take action.

It is deeply insulting to see that the PN thinks we don’t understand metaphors

How ridiculous! What is the NCPE expected to do? Rap Bartolo on the head with Buttigieg’s bust of Mary Whitehouse? Penalise him by making him listen to Desire on a loop while wedged uncomfortably in the too-small desks in the new Parliament?

The PN’s Caroline Galea also chipped in with much hand-wringing, expressing her “great astonishment and a heavy dose of desperation” at the minister’s words. There were more cries of mortified anguish from the other PN organs, the FIOPN and the MNPN.

I can’t help thinking that all this put-on prissiness has backfired. In the first place, it is deeply insulting to see that the PN thinks we don’t understand metaphors. Apparently PN exponents think that when we read about skeletons in someone’s cupboard, we think they actually have a skull and a set of bones jangling behind their coats. It’s never wise to insinuate that your audience is dumb.

Then there’s the way that petty attempts at point-scoring seem more important than relevant, fact-based criticism for the PN. There are a thousand things wrong with the Labour administration. The ridiculous levels of cronyism and partisan appointments, the complete and utter dismemberment of the planning and enforcement system, the disregard for the environment are some of the worst.

Buttigieg could have taken her pick and made a sensible contribution to the parliamentary debate instead of trilling on about non-existent insults. Her choice is disappointing and makes people wonder if this is all the PN has in its arsenal.

It’s no excuse to say that this is the way politics is conducted these days, with the constant ping-pong of barbs and sound bites. Where do these playground put-downs of Bartolo get us? By “us” I mean the electorate.

I wish that politicians would realise that we are far more interested in issues that affect us than how much they dislike each other.

As excellently stated by a friend (and who I am shamelessly quoting “Personally, the prospect of loss of virgin land worries me more than the loss or restoration of the PN’s virginity.”

cl.bon@nextgen.net.mt