Among all the problems that we are facing amid the pandemic, sexism should be the last one. However, it seems that gender bias is still prevalent during these troubled times. Recently, the mayor of Osaka, Japan suggested that men should go grocery shopping during the coronavirus outbreak because women take longer to buy things, reports CNN.
Earlier, Japan’s government had declared a nationwide state of emergency in a bid to stop the spread of the novel virus. So, in Osaka, Mayor Ichiro Matsui appealed to people to take steps to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus.
However, his attempt to promote social distancing by making such gender biased remarks received backlash on social media, reports Daily Mail. “When a woman goes, it will take time,” the Mayor was quoted saying. He said women contribute to overcrowding at supermarkets by taking a long time to shop.
“If it was you if you were told to get this or that, then you would go directly and go home. It’s also fine for men to go shopping while avoiding contact,” he added.Â
He also urged married couples to avoid going shopping together and asked people to limit their trips to the supermarket. In order to do so, he suggested people born in even months should go out on even dates. Similarly, people born in odd-numbered months should go out on odd dates. With 1,500 coronavirus cases in Osaka, it is the second hardest-hit after Tokyo in Japan. Well, we just hope the city becomes COVID-19 free soon.