B.C. MLA says she's open to criticisms about her work — but 'not about how I dress, or look, or pose'

Nelson-Creston MLA Brittny Anderson has denounced public criticisms she says have less to do with her work and more to do with the way she looks.

The NDP legislative member took to her social media to address recent comments about what the public has described as "having too much fun," she says, in her photos.

"I am sorry I am posing in a way that makes people feel like I am not doing my job properly," she wrote in reference to a particular photo, in a Sept. 27 post on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

"I am having fun, I also work super hard. I can do both."

Anderson, speaking out about the double standards women face, also quoted the now-famous monologue by America Ferrara's character in the Barbie film: "We have to be thin but we can't want to be thin."

In an interview with CBC's Daybreak South host Chris Walker, Anderson said she did sign up for public criticism when she decided to enter politics. 

"But I signed up for criticisms about my work, the direction of my government," she said. "Not about how I dress, or look, or pose."

Anderson said she's not a stranger to public harassment, and described being verbally accosted while in grocery stores or hanging out with friends in public, since becoming a city councillor in Nelson in 2018 and then an NDP MLA in 2020.

"No one regardless of their profession should have to deal with harassment," she said.

Women judged more for looks, says advocate

Many women in politics continue to face scrutiny based on physical appearances, disproportionate to their male counterparts, according to the chair of Equal Voice B.C., an organization advocating for gender-diverse candidates at all levels of government.

"It's something that we have seen in the past, something we often see today yet we are still shocked when these comments pop up," Allie Blades said in a phone interview with CBC News.

"No one is calling Premier David Eby about the appearance of his hair and what he's wearing."

Recently, a city councillor in Prince George received a call from a disgruntled individual who criticized her haircut. 

"I was told to change my hairstyle because I am a young lady and I was really taken aback," Coun. Cori Ramsay told CBC News in an interview.

Ramsay said she thanked the person for their feedback and posted a snippet of the conversation on Twitter. 

"I have also had someone put their hands on my pants and say city councillors don't wear ripped jeans, so it has happened before and will surely happen again," she said.

While she doesn't like to confront naysayers individually, Ramsay said, she doesn't want to turn a blind eye either.

"As a woman, I have to constantly curb my emotions."

According to Blades, one way for public figures to address the issue is to use the platforms they have to highlight the challenges women face.

She said it's important that more women in leadership positions come forward, share their stories, and talk about these issues.

"For a long time, we have created an environment where we let these kinds of things to happen, so bringing such hateful, sexist comments to light is exactly what we should be doing," said Blades.