Let’s Talk: ‘If you ban the burka, ban make up and dresses as well’

You might remember Sally McManus from her now infamous comments earlier this week about unions breaking the law?

The new secretary of the ACTU said she didn’t think there was a problem breaking the law “when it’s unjust”.

Those comments prompted a swarm of criticism from all sides of politics, and now some comments she made in the past have come back to haunt her.

The Australian reports that Ms McManus gave a speech back in 2010 at a protest against proposals to ban the burka.

What she said has angered many people on social media.

“We can’t on one hand say, well people have got a right to do silly things like wear dresses and wear high heels… even have breast implants… and on the other hand say well they can’t wear certain things including a hijab and including a burka,” she said.

The women’s rights advocate and unionist told the protest that breast implants, plastic surgery, diets, solariums and television shows that “degrade and stereotype women” should be banned before the burka.

“Why is it that women today in our society want to be mutilated,” she reportedly said about breast implants.

“It’s in order to make them more attractive to men… I say that’s internalised patriarchy or internalised oppression.”

She also described botox as “poison” and said the expectation for women to be “hairless beings” was “bullshit”.

Aside from her comments, Ms McManus is also make headlines today after some comments the Prime Minister made about her.

In an interview with 3AW, Malcolm Turnbull said she represented a “culture of thuggery and lawlessness”.

“She believes that unions only have to obey the law if they agree with it,” he said.

“On that basis if people thought taxes were too high they wouldn’t have to pay their tax or if they thought the speed limit was too low they could speed with impunity.”

#ACTU boss @sallymcmanus: 'I believe in the rule of law … But when it's unjust I don't think there's a problem with breaking it.' #auspol pic.twitter.com/UDcZdgUoii

— abc730 (@abc730) March 15, 2017

She’s also been described as a “lunatic” by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, while Bill Shorten came out after her union comments and said he disagreed with her.

What do you think about Sally McManus’ comments about the burka and unions?