Sexism row in Russia after male Communist MP confesses he didn't listen to female minister's speech because he was staring at her 'beautiful' chest
A sexism row has erupted in Russia after a male Communist MP confessed to gawping at a female minister's 'beautiful' chest during a parliamentary session.
Red politician Pyotr Ammosov, 54, told entrepreneurship minister Irina Vysokikh, 34, that as a 'healthy man' he had fixed his eyes on 'a bare part of your body'.
This prevented him from listening attentively to her speech on low-alcohol drinks during an online session, the 'dinosaur' legislator explained.
'It's not good, of course. Yes, as a man I admit it's beautiful, but still…', he went on, calling for the legislature's ethical authorities to crackdown on women's dress.
A sexism row has erupted in Russia after male Communist MP Pyotr Ammosov, 54, confessed to gawping at 34-year-old female minister Irina Vysokikh's, 'beautiful' chest during a parliamentary session
Ammosov claimed this prevented him from listening attentively to her speech on low-alcohol drinks during an online session, the 'dinosaur' legislator explained
When Vysokikh hit back at the sexist rant, she found herself rapped by the male Speaker of the Il Tumen assembly in Russia's largest region, Yakutia, an area of Siberia almost as large as India.
The minister told the bespectacled Ammosov: 'I will most certainly not discuss my looks with you.'
The Speaker Pyotr Gogolev, 49, ordered her: 'Stick to your report and do not comment.
'You have no right to comment (like this) to MPs.
'This will be reported to your superiors.'
When Vysokikh hit back at the sexist rant, she found herself rapped by the male Speaker of the Il Tumen assembly in Russia's largest region, Yakutia, an area of Siberia almost as large as India
The minister told bespectacled Ammosov: 'I will most certainly not discuss my looks with you'
The Speaker Pyotr Gogolev, 49, ordered her: 'Stick to your report and do not comment. You have no right to comment (like this) to MPs. This will be reported to your superiors.'
Her microphone appeared to be silenced as she protested at the slur.
The Speaker made no attempt to censure the MP.
Ammosov was branded 'Russian sexist of the day'
Other MPs rapidly apologised to the woman minister and pointed out there was nothing immodest in her clothing.
MP Viktor Fyodorov complained of the 'sexism shown towards her by several MPs', stressing her 'appearance fits the dress code required from state officials.'
But Ammosov was backed by his Communist Party which issued a statement claiming: 'He could not tear his eyes away, which perhaps is a big compliment (to the minister.)'
Spokesman Alexander Yushchenko said that the 'alien concepts' of 'sexism and harassment' had been imposed from outside and should not apply in Siberia.
'The MP wanted to compliment the minister,' he claimed.
As the MP was branded 'Russian sexist of the day' in a media report, he refused to backtrack or apologise.
Other MPs rapidly apologised to the woman minister and pointed out there was nothing immodest in her clothing
Newspaper comments were supportive of the minister. One branded the MP an 'old dinosaur', and another said: 'What on earth is he saying? The minister was dressed completely fine, he's got to be kicked out'
A further comment called Ammosov 'rude and irrelevant', accusing him of 'harassment' of a woman politician
'People apologise only when they are wrong,' he insisted, claiming her hardly-revealing top did not match his ethical standards.
'There was no conflict, I have simply voiced my opinion,' he said.
Newspaper comments were supportive of the minister.
One branded the MP an 'old dinosaur', and another said: 'What on earth is he saying? The minister was dressed completely fine, he's got to be kicked out.'
A further comment called Ammosov 'rude and irrelevant', accusing him of 'harassment' of a woman politician.
A native of her diamond-mining region, which straddles the Arctic Circle, Vysokikh has also been pictured in traditional Yakutian dress.