4/N) Women in politics — 6 Minute English 4/N) Frauen in der Politik - 6 Minuten Englisch 4/N) Las mujeres en la política - 6 Minute English 4/N) 정치하는 여성 - 6분 영어

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. 这是来自 BBC Learning English 的 6 分钟英语。 I'm Beth. And I'm Neil. Differences between men and women have existed forever, but in modern times imbalances in the opportunities for men and woman have widened. ||||||||||||imbalances|||||||||increased One area where this imbalance is widest is politics. ||||imbalance|||| When we think of female politicians, the names Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel, Indira Gandhi, or Jacinda Ardern all come to mind. |||||politicians|||||||||||||||

But, while women make up over half the world's population, only 26% of the world's politicians are women. |||||||||population||||||| 但是，尽管女性占世界人口的一半以上，但世界上只有 26% 的政治家是女性。 How much of this is because of misogyny — hatred and prejudice against women? |||||||hatred of women|||prejudice|| 其中有多少是因为厌女症——对女性的仇恨和偏见？ It seems that the surprise resignation of New Zealand's prime minster, Jacinda Ardern, was partly because of the misogynistic abuse she received online, so in this programme we'll be asking: why is life so hard for women in politics? ||||||||||||||||||woman-hating|abuse||||||||||||||||||| 新西兰总理杰辛达·阿德恩的突然辞职似乎部分原因是她在网上受到的厌恶女性的辱骂，所以在这个节目中我们会问：为什么女性从政的生活如此艰难？ And, of course, we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well. 当然，我们也会学习一些有用的新词汇。

But before that, I have a question for you, Neil. Britain has had three female prime ministers, all from the Conservative party. ||||||||||Conservative| 英国有过三位女首相，都来自保守党。 First was Margaret Thatcher, who was followed in 2016 by Theresa May, and after that by Liz Truss, who resigned after only a short time in office. ||||||||||||||||||resigned||||||| 首先是玛格丽特·撒切尔 (Margaret Thatcher)，2016 年，特蕾莎·梅 (Theresa May) 紧随其后，之后是利兹·特拉斯 (Liz Truss)，后者在上任不久后就辞职了。 But for how long, exactly, was Liz Truss prime minister? 但利兹·特拉斯 (Liz Truss) 担任总理的时间究竟有多长？ Was it: a) 45 days? b) 1 year and 45 days? or, c) 2 years and 45 days? I think the answer is 45 days.

OK, Neil. I'll reveal the answer later. One of the biggest barriers for female politicians is that politics has traditionally been seen as a man's world. ||||barriers|||||||||||||| When Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979, she had to manage a group of men who were not used to being told what to do by a woman. 当玛格丽特·撒切尔 (Margaret Thatcher) 于 1979 年成为英国首相时，她不得不管理一群不习惯被女人指挥的男人。 Here, Professor Rosie Campbell, Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership, explains to BBC World Service programme, The Real Story, how Mrs Thatcher's solution to this problem was to appear more masculine. ||||||||Institute||||||||||||||||||||||appear||masculine 在这里，全球女性领导力研究所所长 Rosie Campbell 教授向 BBC 世界服务节目“真实故事”解释了撒切尔夫人解决这个问题的方法是如何显得更加男性化。

She was deliberately coached to change her voice and to behave in a way that was more stereotypically masculine, at the same time as presenting herself, in terms of her attire, in a very feminine way which really showed the tightrope she had to walk in order to seem strong enough to be the leader, but not subverting norms of what it is to be a woman. |||trained||change||||||||||||stereotypically|||the||||presenting||||||||||||||||tightrope|||||||||||||||||subverting|norms|||||||| 她被刻意训练以改变自己的声音并以更刻板的男性化方式行事，同时在着装方面以非常女性化的方式展示自己，这确实表明她必须走钢丝才能有序看起来足够强大，可以成为领导者，但又不会颠覆女性的规范。

So I think, you know, whatever you might think of Margaret Thatcher, that was a very challenging tightrope walk that she had to do. 所以我想，你知道，无论你怎么看玛格丽特·撒切尔，那都是她必须走的非常具有挑战性的走钢丝。 Margaret Thatcher was coached to behave more like a man, for example by lowering her voice. 玛格丽特·撒切尔 (Margaret Thatcher) 被教导要表现得更像个男人，例如降低声音。 If you are coached, you are specially trained in how to improve at a particular skill.

At the same time she was also advised to appear feminine, especially in her attire — the clothes she wore. |||||||advised||||||||||| 与此同时，她也被建议表现得女性化，尤其是在她的着装上——她穿的衣服。 In trying to present both male and female sides of herself, Mrs Thatcher walked a tightrope — an idiom meaning to be in a difficult situation that requires carefully considered behaviour. |||present|||||||||Thatcher|||||||||||difficult||||||behavior 撒切尔夫人试图展现自己的男性和女性两面，就像走钢丝一样——这个成语的意思是处在困难的境地，需要慎重考虑的行为。 The point is that none of these demands were made of the men in Mrs Thatcher's government.

Even today, the way women in politics behave or dress is commented on and criticised far more than men, with the result that fewer women are willing to expose themselves to public scrutiny — a situation which has only got worse since the internet, and with it, sexist and misogynistic abuse on social media. ||||||||||||||criticized||||||||||||||expose||||scrutiny|||||||||||||||||||| Paradoxically, it is often said that the qualities of empathy and understanding — often associated with women — are most needed in politics today. paradoxically|||||||||||||associated||||||||

According to former prime minister Helen Clark, who was New Zealand's first female elected leader, it's not just that women are more caring — they also bring a different leadership style, as she explained to BBC World Service programme, The Real Story: I think that women are known for more collaborative styles and politics, less likely to be the, you know, top down, heavy-handed… ||||minister|||||||||elected|||||||||caring|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

(04:19) you know, my way or the highway, more open to evidenced debate. |||||||||||debate I think it's certainly informed the way that that I led. ||||informed|||||| I think it also informed the priorities that I had. Helen Clark believes women leaders are more collaborative — they prefer working cooperatively with several people to achieve a common goal. |||||||||||cooperatively||||||||

She contrasts this with a stricter, more dictatorial leadership style by using the expression, my way or the highway — an idiom used as a warning that someone will only accept their way of doing things. |contrasts||||stricter||dictatorial||||||||||||||||||||||||||| In fact, adopting such dictatorial approaches has been the end of many political leaders, including Mrs Thatcher and, more recently, Liz Truss… ||adopting|||||||||||||||||||

which brings me back to my question, Neil — how long did Liz Truss last as prime minister? I guess it was 45 days. Was I right? That was… the correct answer! Liz Truss was prime minister for just 45 days, the shortest premiership of any British leader ever, male or female. ||||||||||premiership|||||||| OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this programme on women in politics, starting with misogyny — the dislike or hatred of women. ||recap||||||||||||||||||||

If you are coached in something, you are trained or instructed in how to improve that particular skill. Attire means the clothes you are wearing. If you have to walk a tightrope, you're in a difficult situation that requires careful behaviour. The adjective collaborative involves several people working together for a particular purpose.

And finally, the idiom it's my way or the highway can be used as a warning that someone will only accept their own way of doing things. Once again, our six minutes are up. See you soon! Bye!