Prominent female city leaders — including Harlem Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito — praised The Post Sunday for revealing that Mayor Bill de Blasio’s crusade against the half-naked ladies of Times Square is wrong-headed and sexist.
“It’s a real shame that women’s bodies continue to be used as political fodder. As I have said repeatedly, our city has many more pressing things on its plate,” Mark-Viverito said in a statement to The Post.
The speaker, until recently a staunch ally of the mayor, was praising Post reporter Amber Jamieson’s (pictured) first-hand account of her day spent working as one of the painted ladies.
Jamieson’s Page One story in Sunday’s Post noted that de Blasio’s opposition to the working women is severely misguided considering he still has plenty of other quality-of-life issues to address, such as the city’s homelessness explosion.
It’s the second time in about a month that the speaker and mayor have been at odds.
In July, Mark-Viverito blasted de Blasio for painting the City Council as a political pawn in his failed attempt to limit the number of licenses issued to city cab competitors such as Uber.
Mark-Viverito said she found it “offensive as a woman” that the mayor implied that she would go along with whatever he wanted and wasn’t able to come to a decision on her own.
She wasn’t the only politician to praise The Post’s Times Square coverage — and, in the process, bash de Blasio.
East Harlem Councilwoman Inez Dickens noted the “double standard” of criticizing the topless women while embracing such Times Square stalwarts as the Naked Cowboy, who performs in his tighty whities.
Dickens added it was foolish to make an issue out of the ladies.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got other issues to deal with,” she said.
Read the entire story here.
What do you think?
Photo credit: For Sunday News: 08/26/15:Topless:New York – NY Post reporter Amber Jamieson walks in Times Square as a “desnuda” as she goes undercover as a topless painted woman soliciting tips in Times Square. Photo by Helayne Seidman.
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
