New South Wales Greens MP makes ‘sexual gesture’ in a photograph

A Greens MP has been slammed by a former female staffer after he was snapped appearing to make a vile sexual gesture while at a party function.

Jeremy Buckingham was photographed making the crude gesture, typically used to mimic cunnilingus, on a night of trivia at the pub.

The MP claimed in response he didn’t intend to be crude but instead was sending a friendly ‘up yours’ towards his trivia opponent who took the photograph.

Jeremy Buckingham was photographed making the crude sexual gesture on a night of trivia at the pub.

Greens MP, Jeremy Buckingham has been slammed on social media after he was photographed making a sexual gesture at a party function.

The crude image was posted to a Facebook group shaming the Greens MP for the crude gesture

The crude image was posted to a Facebook group shaming the Greens MP for the crude gesture

The image was posted to the Australian Greens, Politics, News and Discussion Facebook page by Greens staffer Lauren Gillin. 

‘It’s either ignorant or indifferent to how casual sexism and misogyny helps foster a culture that’s hostile to women,’ she wrote online.

 ‘What needs to change so that men with power in the party no longer feel they can behave like this with impunity’.

Greens NSW convener Debbie Gibson slammed Mr Buckingham for the ‘degrading’ pose, confirming the incident had been referred to the party’s parliamentary liaison committee. 

‘Whatever his intention at that moment, I am disappointed that Jeremy would make such a gesture,’ Ms Gibson told the Daily Telegraph.

‘It is degrading towards women and not acceptable behaviour — especially for a Greens MP, considering our party works incredibly hard to advance equality and justice for women.’

Jeremy Buckingham: 'I'm a child of the 1970's, punk and fan of Rik Mayall used this gesture in a cheeky way'

Jeremy Buckingham: ‘I’m a child of the 1970’s, punk and fan of Rik Mayall used this gesture in a cheeky way’

The MP responded it was in reference to a Young One's character played by Rik Mayall who used it as a 'Up Yours'

The MP responded it was in reference to a Young One’s character played by Rik Mayall who used it as a ‘Up Yours’

Mr Buckingham blamed the angle of the photo, claiming his fingers ‘were well away’ from his face. 

He said: ‘I’m a child of the 1970’s, punk and fan of Rik Mayall used this gesture in a cheeky way’. 

‘It was a lighthearted moment that has been misinterpreted,’ he posted on to his Facebook.  

The response tore voters in two with some enraged despite the explanation. 

‘Even if the complicated excuse that it was simply a bad camera angle capturing two separate simultaneous gestures were true…it’s still a vile sexist gesture,’ one person commented in response.  

‘That behaviour was crude and should be called out and learnt from by other men, not swept under the carpet,’ another said. 

Others supported the New South Wales Greens member.

‘Get a grip, people. Stop picking on Greens. There are actual problems to be dealt with out there’ and ‘This seems to be a little over-reactive to me – and my lovely lady agrees’. 

The conversation thread spilt Green's voters in two with some saying it was an honest misunderstand while others say it was an outrage 

The conversation thread spilt Green’s voters in two with some saying it was an honest misunderstand while others say it was an outrage 

 

 



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