A DAYTIME television debate show in Andalusia has drawn widespread criticism, even among its own staff, after it dedicated a segment on Tuesday to debating a photo of a government minister whose nipples were visible through her shirt.
The image in question was of Ione Belarra, who is not only the minister for social rights and the 2030 Agenda but also the general secretary of the leftist Podemos party.
In it, Belarra is apparently not wearing a bra, meaning that the outline of her nipples can be seen through her shirt when she was at a party event. The photo was shared by various users on Twitter with right-wing profiles and affiliations to parties such as far-right Vox.
The TV show that dedicated time to the picture is called Mesa de Analisis, and is broadcast on Canal Sur. The channel is controlled by the regional government, which is in the hands of the conservative Popular Party (PP), and has been the object of criticism for broadcasting ‘propaganda’ on behalf of the group.
According to Spanish daily El Diario, the program dedicated five minutes to the subject, despite the presenter starting the conversation by saying that ‘this doesn’t interest us at all’. The only female member of the debate panel was not given time to comment on the issue.
A caption on the screen during the segment read: ‘Wearing a bra: Violence or decorum?’
Canal Sur later released a statement that was reported by El Diario, in which it admitted the caption had been unfortunate and that it ‘rejected spreading ideas of hatred toward women’.
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