Isha Sesay
COUNCIL officials have been left red-faced after contracting an erotic show for their carnival celebrations in Mallorca.
A scantily dressed woman descended to perform a risqué performance on stage in Puerto Pollensa last weekend.
Receiving a number of complaints due to the fact that children were in attendance, embarrassed officials have since apologised for their colossal error of judgement.
The three opposition parties, Junts Avançam, Alternativa and Unides Podem, condemned the council’s ‘insulting’ actions, which they said were financed with public resources and cannot be tolerated in a public administration committed to equality.
“What should have been a fun celebration for adults and children turned into an erotic show where a woman was degraded and shown as a sexual object that reinforces sexist stereotypes,” said a spokesperson.
Citing International Womens’ Day, which is celebrated globally on March 8, they called on Mayor Tomeu Cifre to guarantee the rights and protection of women.
They also demanded the ‘urgent appearance’ of the responsible councillor Andres Nevado, asking that he provide an answer to the ‘denigrating treatment of women.’
Nevado has since issued a public apology in which he explained that the Council had recruited a DJ and an entertainment package for their annual carnival celebrations without realising that it included a daring erotic show.
“At no time do we think that such animation would consist of the type of show that we witnessed.
“We wish to apologise for the error, it was a mistake.” said Nevado.
The Mayor also reassured citizens that the Council has always tried to promote equality within the municipality and that lessons would be learnt from the event.
“It is not a step back but an unfortunate failure of which we will take note and learn, always to move towards an effective and integral equality of women,” said Cifre.
The La Mala Pecora feminist collective was not satisfied with the explanation however, calling for Nevado to step down.
“The show cannot be justified by appealing to women’s freedom and art where machismo is camouflaged under liberty,” said a spokeswoman for the association.
