Abstract
Some of the world’s most powerful countries are ruled by men who pride themselves on their macho images. But their egos are fragile, and here are some of the things you just can’t mention.
Bigly. Yuge. Trump’s adjectives of choice are all about size, so call his hands small at your peril. And when it comes to crowds… well, according to former White House spokesman Sean Spicer, Trump’s 2017 inauguration was witnessed by more people than any other inauguration in history. Photographs tell a different story.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin likes to show he’s the big guy, through martial arts, appearing topless on a horse and other “manly” displays. But this manly man can’t handle any insults – so much so that he signed a bill this year making insults against him punishable by fines that can be more than $4,500, with 15 days in jail for repeat offences. What’s an insult? “Putin is a fag” and “fantastical fuckhead” have already fallen foul.
Winnie the Pooh, who came into being in 1926, is one of the best-loved characters in the world. Not, however, for China’s President Xi Jinping. Censors have banned the cuddly bear in the country following jokey comparisons between the bear and Xi.
It is not only critics of his government that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to silence, it is critics of his decor. In 2015, Erdogan threatened to sue the leader of the opposition, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, for saying he had gold-plated toilet seats in his mansion in Ankara. The accusation was made in the context of Kılıçdaroğlu’s ongoing criticism of Erdogan’s lavish lifestyle, but it seems the specific mention of his indulgent bathroom design choice was one toilet seat too far.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, who routinely shows contempt for women, extends such contempt to his own child. “I have five children. Four are men, and then in a moment of weakness the fifth came out a girl,” he said. Best not mention his daughter, then.
CREDIT: CSA-Archive/iStock
