Watch: Nickie Vella De Fremeaux Says Women’s Day Is ‘Insulting To Women’
Lawyer Nickie Vella De Fremeaux has argued that the concept of International Women’s Day, which is being celebrated today, is actually “insulting” to women.
“I think it’s insulting for there to be a day where women are celebrated because I believe that women are perfectly established within the working force, are perfectly able to establish themselves within the working force, and have actually proven themselves without the need for gender quotas or mechanisms,” Vella De Fremeaux said in an interview with Lovin Malta.
She also warned that Women’s Day has become too commercialised, bringing up eCabs’ new ‘Women+’ option that allows female passengers to request a female driver as an example.
Although this initiative was launched to coincide with Women’s Day, it will be a permanent feature.
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Vella De Fremeaux said that while she agrees with this initiative, pointing out that her daughter is terrified of getting into a taxi, the fact that it was launched to coincide with Women’s Day shows the celebration has become a “commercial event”.
“It’s a good idea but why should it be implemented for Women’s Day? Women’s Day is a ploy, it is just a commercial event. There is all this hype for Women’s Day, there is going to be a walk and calls to remove an 18% tax on tampons.”
“So we only realised that there is a tampon tax today and we’re going to make a whole fuss about it? Yes, go ahead and remove the tax but don’t raise the issue today because it’s Women’s Day. Make it an issue because it is an issue.”
She also called out elements of feminist ideology that view men as “the enemy of women” and that strive for equality in every sphere or sector of work and life.
“This idea that there has to be equality in every sphere or sector of work is a bit of a fallacy,” she said.
“When you look at men on a global perspective, you see they have the highest rate of suicide, the highest rate of failure in secondary school, the highest rate of incarceration for violent crime. Are we going to equate that and put women out there and make them equal?”
Lovin Malta’s full interview with Nickie Vella De Fremeaux will be released in the coming days.
What do you make of Nickie Vella De Fremeaux’s arguments?
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