He’s no Lord of mine – why I gunged Mandelson

EXCLUSIVE

By Leila Deen

The fact that I was a smartly dressed woman who marched up to Mr Mandelson (he is no Lord of mine) definitely gave me a head start when it came to throwing mock green slime in his face. Typically for a man far too used to the comforts of patriachy, as I approached him, Mandelson’s condescending smile conveyed his expectation of little more than a simpering compliment coming his way. And certainly as I got close enough to take aim, I felt much more confident that being a woman, he and his aides would not respond with a Prescott style thumping, although the host on LBC radio did suggest I deserved such a beating later that day.

Aside from Mr LBC, the majority of journalists did not seem to know how to respond. Here was a well-dressed, dare I say attractive, state school, middle class woman confronting the unelected OverLord Mandelson and questioning his right to take a political platform on climate change. I did it because it was he who had proactively undermined our climate commitments as he bullied the cabinet (particularly, note, Harriet Harman) to accept Heathrow’s third runway despite the fact that it would undermine our promise to massively reduce our carbon emissions.

In a bid to understand how I could be a real woman, over and over I was asked about my sexuality, evidence of boyfriends, my hairstyle, whether I was scared. Seemingly looking to support and praise me, the tabloids have since called me ‘custard queen’ and ‘green goddess’. Suddenly the action and the activist are gendered, and one has to ask whether I or my action would have been so well received were I a man? In the words of one photographer: “Smile love, this story will sell ten times as well because you’re pretty”.

It’s a damning indictment on society. But I do think women can worry too much about their representation in the press. The important thing is that they are represented, that they are on the ground at protests and in the forefront of the climate change debate. That is the case in the growing movement of direct activists working to stop climate change, and is perhaps the most inspiring thing about it. It is women who make up the majority of current victims of climate change and it is women leading the charge to directly challenge its causes, engage its perpetrators and take direct action to stop it happening. Whilst I was a lone protagonist in this action, most of those directly supporting me were women. In the last few months, all the best climate change actions have been led by women. And on April 1st a Climate Camp in the City will be pitching up in London, organised largely by women.

This is an intensely feminine struggle, against the destruction of our eco-system, a problem created by patriachy. So I stand proud to have joined the ranks of many strong women who are on the frontline of getting it sorted. And if getting attention for that cause means having to discuss where I buy my shoes, or how I get my hair so poofy, so be it.