A French MEP for the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party has lashed out online against certain types of microphones, calling them “sexist”.
Manon Aubry, who is expected to top the LFI’s European Union elections candidate list in 2024, branded so-called “lavalier microphones” as being “sexist”, claiming that they could not be “easily attached to dresses”.
“These microphones are made to be worn on jackets,” she ranted, claiming that they were not suitable for attire regularly worn by women.
@manonaubryfr Est-ce que vous aviez remarqué à quel point les micros étaient… sexistes !? Promis, dès que j’en aurais fini avec les ultra riches et les évadés fiscaux, fabriquants de micro-cravates, je m’occupe de vous ! ?
“I don’t understand how in 2023 there isn’t a super engineer who hasn’t found microphones that are solutions globally for women,” Aubry continued, before going on to say that she would “start a petition against sexist microphones”.
“This will be my battle for the 2024 European campaign,” she said in what has been interpreted as a joke by Le Figaro.
Lavalier microphones – also known as “lavs” – are a staple of audio-visual media, including film, television and news programmes.
As such, the microphones are regularly hidden within various types of outfits that do not conform to the standard suit-and-tie style of dress.
Multiple tutorials can be found online giving instructions as to how one can hide a lav on almost any type of apparel, including both short and long dresses, wet suits and even “superhero outfits”.
In one video uploaded online, sound engineer Stephen Harrod went over how he would hide this type of microphone on dresses.
“Easy peasy,” he remarked when asked about how to hide the type of microphone on a sundress, saying that his method of choice would be to attach the lav to the leg or thigh.
