No matter how progressive the world becomes, some people still think it is their right to comment on women's bodies without any consequences. However, it is even worse when the person doing it is a woman herself.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan recently made inappropriate statements about women footballers having "flat chests" and saying that they would not be considered attractive candidates for marriage.
Hassan made the infuriating remarks at a ceremony on Sunday to celebrate the victory of a national men's team in a regional football championship. Ironically, she also called for better funding for women's sports.
"For those who have flat chests, you might think they are men and not women," Hassan said.?"And if you look at their faces you might wonder... because if you want to marry, you want someone who is attractive, a lady who has the qualities that you want."?She said that for women footballers "those qualities have disappeared".
Hassan is the only serving woman head of state in Africa along with Ethiopia's President Sahle-Work Zewde but her role is mainly ceremonial.?
"Today they are making us proud as a nation when they bring trophies to the country but if you look at their lives in the future, when the legs are tired from playing, when they don't have the health to play, what life will they be living?" she said.?
"The life of marriage is like a dream to them. Because even if one of you here takes them home as your wife, your mother will ask if they are a woman or a fellow man."Hassan added.?
Her conservative remarks were not entertained by others.
"The comment by president @SuluhuSamia on women footballers is a humiliation to all women," said Catherine Ruge, the head of the women's wing of the opposition Chadema party and a former MP.?
Maria Sarungi Tsehai, the founder of civil society group Change Tanzania tweeted: 'So all those cheering a female presidency...@SuluhuSamia is denigrating female football players for having 'flat chests' and thus lacking attractive features necessary to get married. You must be proud @AWLNetwork'.
Leave women's bodies alone.?