Jacinda Ardern is New Zealand’s Prime Minister, and much has been said and written about the fact that she is pregnant.

It shouldn’t really matter all that much, but it’s necessary to mention it when we’re talking about her recent interview with the Australian version of 60 Minutes.

Reporter Charles Wooley sat Jacinda and partner Clarke Gayford down for an interview, and the cringe factor was ramped right up.

Via Mashable, the first awkward exchange:

“I’ve met a lot of prime ministers in my time, but none too young and not so many so smart, and never one so attractive,” Wooley said in the feature.

Ah yes, nothing like telling an incredibly accomplished woman how attractive she looks.

That was just the starter, though, because the main course was soon to follow. You only have to watch Jacinda’s facial contortions to realise how uncomfortable this line of questioning is:

Can you imagine asking Donald Trump when and how he conceived Barron? On second thought don’t ever do that, because he would probably describe it in great detail.

Viewers were less than impressed:

To her credit, Jacinda didn’t stick the boot in when the chance to do so arose:

Ardern told reporters on Monday she “wasn’t fazed” by the interview, even if the question about the conception date took her aback.

“You’re assuming that I haven’t been asked that question before by New Zealand media as well… At the time certainly, I think that question threw me a little bit, but it would be going a bit far to say I was somehow offended by it. I wasn’t. It’s one I think put under the heading of too much information,” she said, according to Fairfax Media.

Diplomatic as ever.

Certain world leaders would love nothing more than being called attractive (as unlikely as that is), but for now let’s try and avoid bringing up details to do with their sex lives, shall we?

[source:mashable]