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A live debate about misogyny and gender inequality between journalist Moya Lothian-McLean and GB News contributor Connor Tomlinson was accidentally and ever-so-ironically interrupted when Lothian-McLean found out that her male opponent was getting paid to appear on the broadcast while she was not.
Your rebuttal, Tomlinson?
The two were discussing censorship and gender inequality in the wake of the controversy surrounding Laurence Fox's comments about Ava Evans on Sky News when Lothian-McLean made the discovery.
She shared she was "tired" of the "patriarchal society" in which women "endemically suffer" from said inequalities.
Tomlinson interrupted:
“I’m sorry you’re so exhausted to be paid to go on air."
That's when Lothian-McLean revealed she was doing the interview for free.
“I'm not being paid for this interview."
“I came on because I wanted to talk about the problem of misogyny and the degradation of women in public life.”
She then made the realization that her counterpart was getting paid.
“Are you getting paid for this? I'm not getting paid for this. Are you getting paid for this?”
You can watch the moment, below.
The real-time, mid-interview realisation that this man is, in fact, being paid when I was not, as I was talking about how tiring it was to constantly have this discussion about misogyny redirected by media figures who deny misogyny even exists— Moya Lothian-McLean (@Moya Lothian-McLean) 1695850575
Lothian-McLean shared the video after first noting:
"I was too busy laughing but now I'm reeling."
"TOO on the nose!"
I was too busy laughing but now I'm reeling. TOO on the nose!— Moya Lothian-McLean (@Moya Lothian-McLean) 1695849195
She elaborated on the irony of the moment:
"Sorry I've just clocked - the man who was arguing society isn't structurally unequal for women was getting paid to appear in a 'debate' about misogyny and I wasn't..."
She also noted that she confirmed Tomlinson was paid to engage in the debate.
Lothian-McLean, in turn, asked for the same compensation and vowed to donate it to Beyond Equality, "who run educational programs educating young men on rejecting patriarchal culture in favor of a positive masculinity."
People on social media were floored by the insanely ironic moment that transpired in that instant.
@mlothianmclean @MrNishKumar Wow \ud83d\ude2d this speaks for itself about the ingrained misogyny in society \ud83e\udd75— Abigail MacChat (@Abigail MacChat) 1695896206
@mlothianmclean Oh, the bitter-sweet irony.— Graeme Scarth Lloyd (@Graeme Scarth Lloyd) 1695890711
@mlothianmclean Unbelievable.— JJ (@JJ) 1695888953
@mlothianmclean The irony never ends!— Pedro de Noqueira (@Pedro de Noqueira) 1695893843
@mlothianmclean Unbelievable!— Caff's Caff (@Caff's Caff) 1696116708
@mlothianmclean This is beyond appalling that they've basically paid a white dude to say misogyny doesn't exist!!!! Honestly cannot even!— Women in Academia Support Network #WIASN (@Women in Academia Support Network #WIASN) 1695904155
@mlothianmclean You can\u2019t even make this up\u2014the irony of it all! \ud83e\udee0— ChaUntelle JN Lewis (She/Her) \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddf8 (@ChaUntelle JN Lewis (She/Her) \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddf8) 1695974488
@mlothianmclean Ugh. Just so WILDLY on the nose.— stephensben at bluesky (@stephensben at bluesky) 1695913870
@mlothianmclean— Jamie Tulacz (@Jamie Tulacz) 1695850014
@mlothianmclean God it\u2019s systemic and across the board\u2026 they can\u2019t even see the irony— Katie Del Ray \ud83e\udde1\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@Katie Del Ray \ud83e\udde1\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f) 1695849361
@mlothianmclean You couldn\u2019t make it up!!! Unreal— Patagro Handels (@Patagro Handels) 1695855149
@mlothianmclean It\u2019s obviously deeply unfair, but this interview perfectly, clearly (though ironically) proves your point in a way you could never argue or debate or explain. Beautiful.— Katieparker\ud83e\udd8b\ud83e\udde1\ud83c\udf24\ufe0f (@Katieparker\ud83e\udd8b\ud83e\udde1\ud83c\udf24\ufe0f) 1695878958
You can watch the entire debate video below:
Moya Lothian-Mclean vs. Connor Tomlinsonyoutu.be
Lothian-McLean later shared that she received an apology from Sky News, but she noted:
"... this isn't really about me..."
"This is what happens when we're cogs in a functioning machine of misogyny, working on autopilot!"
She also added:
"Also the idea I would be nervous to publicize this sort of pay gap because it might cause issues with future work... well! That's economic inequality in a nutshell!"
Nailed it.