The standards for women and moms always seem to be a little higher than those of their counterparts in any context. But is there a limit to the height of the high media bar? A recent profile of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has caused a stir that brings that very question into the spotlight.

Marin is a 34-year-old politician and mom of two-year-old daughter Emma. She assumed responsibilities as Prime Minister in June 2020, after a contentious battle versus rival Antti Lindtman. Marin was raised by what she describes as a “rainbow family” with same-sex parents, and has made a splash on the international stage as the youngest-ever Prime Minister of her country. As is common of popular figures, Marin was recently featured on the cover of a magazine, Trendi.

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Less common, CNN reports, is the controversy the article's cover portrait created. The image, circulated extensively online, features the politician in a black blazer with no shirt or blouse underneath. The article about Sanna Marin highlighted her influence as a woman with a “leading position as an example, role model, change changer and influencer.”

Though the feature was thorough and full of depth, hyper-focus on the image has continued. "It was a little bit surprising," explained the director of women’s media, Mari Paalosalo-Jussinmäki, with oversight on the project. "If you had to generalize it, it will be men saying it was wrong, and women saying it was fabulous."

Indeed, pushback against the photo created an #imwithsanna trend on social media, as fans of the expressive image spoke out. Critique continued, however, suggesting her integrity as a world leader was damaged by the portrait. Coverage of the debate has included comparisons to world leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Tony Abbott, among other male politicians whose topless images have hardly toppled their credibility.

Other perspective suggests that Marin knew exactly what the storm of criticism might look like – and she proceeded anyway. Tampere University professor Anu Koivunen has discussed the likely-deliberate nature of the pose: “These politicians know very well what kind of discussions they are starting. They are very media savvy and this social media storm did not come as a surprise,” she said. “Marin is aware that a woman’s appearance is always a matter of debate.”

As Paalosalo-Jussinmäki said candidly to CNN, "I think it speaks of women being tired and fed up with being restricted and told how to act and look and behave, and being judged by their looks — if you're young and beautiful, then you can't be taken seriously." If Sanna Marin’s intent was to bring attention to women’s issues, she’s done it alongside a remarkable young career.

She enjoys an 85 percent approval rating in her country, most notably for her efforts to stifle the spread of the pandemic at home. Though the line between those in solidarity with the image and those opposed is not drawn strictly by gender, the support from women for the politician, wife, and mom has been shared loudly worldwide. If nothing else, the portrait has engaged many in an important conversation about gender and politics.

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Source: CNN