Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has a domestic partner named Tim Mathieson. Unlike Gillard, Mathieson is not in politics. He's in the business of beauty, specifically hair styling, a choice of professions that has many in Australia assuming he was born gay. And it was that very rumor that came up when the Prime Minister sat down the Fairfax Radio host Howard Sattler, who asked whether her boyfriend was into other men. Gillard dismisses the chatter as "absurd" and then goes on to offer this concise take down:
"...To all the hairdressers out there, including the men who are listening, I don't think in life one can actually look at a whole profession, full of different human beings, and say 'Gee, we know something about everyone of those human beings ... it's absurd isn't it?'"
Sattler has since been suspended pending a review.
Here's the transcript and video of Gillard and Sattler's conversation about Mathieson-related innuendo:
Howard Sattler: Myths, rumours, snide jokes and innuendos, you've been the butt of them many times.
Julia Gillard: Well I think that's probably right. We've certainly seen that this week.
Howard Sattler: Can I test a few out?
Julia Gillard: In what way?
Howard Sattler: Tim's gay.
Julia Gillard: Well...
Howard Sattler: ...No, that's not me saying it. It's a myth.
Julia Gillard: Well that's absurd.
Howard Sattler: But you hear it. He must be gay, he's a hairdresser.
Julia Gillard: Oh, isn't that...
Howard Sattler: But you've heard it? It's not me saying it. It's what people...
Julia Gillard: Well, I mean Howard, I don't know whether every silly thing that gets said is going to be repeated to me now.
Howard Sattler: No, no, no...
Julia Gillard: But, you know, to all the hairdressers out there, including the men who are listening, I don't think in life one can actually look at a whole profession full of different human beings and say 'Gee we know something about every one of those human beings', I mean, it's absurd isn't it?
Howard Sattler: You can confirm that he's not?
Julia Gillard: Howard don't be ridiculous. Of course he's not.
