Not just a ‘beautiful’ face: Global polity has a big sexism problem

US President Donald Trump has done it again. In the spotlight for his historic Israel-Gaza ceasefire, his remarks at the peace summit in Egypt have garnered attention, but for all the wrong reasons. In what is being termed as grossly sexist, Trump called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a ‘beautiful woman’ and even went on to say that calling a woman beautiful means the end of one’s political career in the US.

What happened?

During the address on the ceasefire, in a cringe-worthy moment that one assumes Trump knew would be slammed, he said, “she's a beautiful young woman. Now, if you used the word 'beautiful' in the United States about a woman, that's the end of your political career. But I'll take my chances. You don't mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are,” while Meloni quietly smiled, flanked by senior world leaders.

Now the problem is not just about what Trump said, it is that a man on a global stage can publicly extol another head of state being ‘beautiful’ without any repercussions, but rather emboldened with laughter and smiles. This is a dangerous trend that is rightly being called out.

While Trump’s remarks were the most blatant, Meloni also received unsolicited advice from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a clip that went viral, he is heard saying, "I saw you coming down from the plane. You look great. But I have to make you stop smoking,” to a visibly uncomfortable Meloni.

Every woman reading this can relate to those moments when men give them unwarranted advice about their lives without ever realising that it is none of their business. Everyone knows that smoking is harmful, but pointing this out in front of the international media is hardly the right thing to do.

Meloni-Modi and Misogyny

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Meloni are frequently the butt of memes on the internet as being India’s ‘power couple.’ While some of them are lighthearted, many on the internet now refer to Meloni as India’s ‘bhabhi’ or sister-in-law and even slam her when she interacts with other male leaders for allegedly ‘avoiding Modi.’

This trend to make romantic assumptions reminds one of high school boys scribbling ‘FLAMES’ on the back of notebooks, hoping that their crush notices them. The only difference is that the collective ‘crush’ here is a global leader and not a seventh-grader with pigtails. Sadly, Meloni is not alone.

From ‘Angry’ Hillary Clinton to Partying Marin

Former Finland Prime Minister Sana Marin came under fire in 2022 when a video of her partying and dancing with her friends drew sharp derision about her competence. In a public statement, Marin later condemned these remarks as sexist and claimed that she had a right to enjoy without public scrutiny. But the internet and her critics were quick to deem her unfit for public office, as if having a personal life is somehow not allowed for politicians.

Even former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has not been spared. The leader faced near constant sexism during her 2016 US Presidential campaign. From looking ‘too angry’ to always ‘wearing dark colours,’ Clinton was frequently reduced to her looks and appearance. A conservative news commentator even went so far as to say that “when Hillary Clinton shows up on TV, I inadvertently cross my legs.”

Assumptions about the moral character of women if they party without guilt or smile too little are symptomatic of a mindset that belongs in times when women were seen as property and not people, when they did not have political rights, and men controlled their lives. Luckily, we are not in those times anymore, but some of us seem to be regressing rapidly.

‘Khaki underwear’ to ‘beautiful South Indian bodies’

Indian politics is no different when it comes to crass remarks against women leaders. In 2019, former MP Azam Khan made headlines after he made personal remarks about colleague Jaya Prada. “It took you 17 years to identify her real face, but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear,” said Khan while on the campaign trail. In 2015, former MP Sharad Yadav also drew derision for saying that “South Indian women are beautiful and so are their bodies... women in our parts [north India] are not so beautiful.” Discussions about women's lingerie and ‘beautiful bodies’ have no place in civil society and certainly not in a country’s political discourse. It signifies a mind that looks at women as merely sexual objects to be objectified to score cheap political points.

Looking beyond pretty faces

While sexism is bad enough anywhere, it is especially detrimental in the political arena. Consider the Giorgia Meloni case. The Italian PM, referred to as a ‘beautiful woman’ by Trump, is a divisive figure in her home country. Fratelli d’Italia, the party she leads, is often associated with far-right ideologies, and her stance on migration and LGBTQIA+ issues is highly conservative. The country, under her regime, is even considering a complete ban on hijabs and other face coverings. She is also frequently criticised for a stagnant Italian economy, with a 2025 survey by Dire-Tecné institute showing that 50.1% of Italians are disappointed by her administration. But by reducing her to just a pretty face and a beautiful woman, we are missing the larger discourse of holding her accountable for 60 million people.

Woeful Representation of Women in Politics

In 2025, there are only 29 female heads of state, with the lion’s share of key positions like President and Prime Minister going to men. In India, just 14.7% of the upper and lower houses of the parliament are held by women, signalling a wide disparity between the genders. Add sexism to the mix, and the chances of women not opting for politics as a career skyrocket.

Need for restraint and mature discourse

Strangely, if the tables were turned, people wouldn’t be this cavalier about personal remarks. If women publicly reduced men to their ‘orange skin tones’ or balding hairlines, it would lead to uproar about ruining the dignity of the offices they hold and even calls for resignations. Why is the outrage then selective? Are we inherently biased towards men and ignore open sexism as ‘mistakes’ and ‘banter ’? The evidence certainly points to this.

Women are not mere figureheads to be paraded in summits for their looks but real leaders to be heard and judged for their actions. It is time that the global polity acknowledges its big sexism problem and strives to do better.