This morning, Matt Hancock appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss the first vaccines being given to a 90-year old woman named Margaret Keenan and 81-year-old William Shakespeare. During the segment, Matt Hancock appeared to wipe away a tear after watching the vaccines being given, with Piers Morgan asking him about his emotional reaction.
‘It’s been such a tough year for so many people and there’s William Shakespeare putting it so simply for everybody that we can get on with our lives,’ he said in response. ‘There’s still a few months to go and I’ve still got this worry we can’t blow it now. We’ve still got to get the vaccine to millions of people so we’ve got to keep sticking by the rules but there’s so much work gone into this and it makes you proud to be British.’
As a result of the interview, ‘Matt Hancock crying’ and ‘Matt Hancock tears’ have quickly become breakout search terms on Google as people scramble to witness him getting emotional on GMTV. Why? Because according to social media, it’s dividing opinion.
Trending on Twitter, the majority of people are accusing Matt Hancock of pretending to cry. ‘Matt Hancock forgot the golden rule of pretending to cry on national television, which is to produce at least one discernible tear,’ one social media user tweeted to thousands of likes.
‘I have witnessed too many genuine tears to count this year, Matt Hancock,’ shared palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke. ‘Counselled too many bereaved families. Cared for too many who died. “We threw a protective ring around care homes," you told us. Words - as a palliative care doctor - I will never forgive or forget.’
Of course, some are rushing to his defence, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. ‘Credit where it’s due. Matt Hancock has clearly worked hard to get us to this point with the vaccine. Today is a day when he deserves recognition for that,’ he tweeted.
But even those commending him are dividing opinion. ‘Worked hard? I've seen extras in adverts deliver more convincing performances than this,’ one social media user replied to Burnham. ‘European scientists have worked hard. NHS staff have worked hard. The population of this country has worked hard. He's barely brought enough onions to draw a single crocodile tear.’
Ultimately it seems that whether you believe Hancock’s tears are real or not, the majority of the public simply cannot forgive him for his part in the mishandling of this pandemic. After so many unnecessary deaths, blame placed everywhere but on the governments doorstep where it belongs and those who fought hardest for our safety being refused pay rises – a few tears is actually the least people expect from a government official in his position.
Of course, it’s important to remember that when it comes to powerful men crying, the internal stirrings of toxic masculinity will no doubt have an impact on the reaction – no matter who it is crying. Should we have seen a woman in his position crying, for example, there’s no doubt the public would find it easier to accept straight off the bat. That’s not to say you can’t come to the conclusion that Hancock’s tears aren’t real, but we must at least acknowledge that gender stereotypes can dictate our response in some way.
With that in mind, while questioning whether Matt Hancock was actually crying is within anyone’s right to do, if you’re simply chastising him for getting emotional on television then it’s important to bear in mind the message that can send to others who already feel pressure to remain stoic against all odds.
So, while you search for ‘Matt Hancock crying’, it’s worth making considerations for any toxic masculinity sentiments being shared before retweeting that meme…
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