Most of the time it is single or divorced men who buy or receive sex dolls as gifts. However, Chilean Economy Minister Luis Cespedes received an inflatable sex doll which sparked furor on social media.
But the sex doll was apparently given on Monday night not for Cespedes to have sex with but as a challenge to do his job. The note taped on the doll’s mouth indicates the purpose behind the controversial gift. The note said, “to stimulate the economy,” Associated Press reported.
After all, the doll did not come from a group linked with the sex industry but from Roberto Fantuzzi, head of Asexma, the exporters association of Chile. He gave the sex doll at the association’s year-end dinner as part of Asexma’s tradition to give creative gifts to its annual dinner guests.
Cespedes apparently was not offended because he was even photographed posing with the sex doll on his arms while Asexma’s members and guests laughed. However, the present did not sit well with a lot of Chileans.
Leading those who did not like the gift is Chilean President Michelle Bachelet who tweeted that the gift is misogynist and a slap on the government’s goal to promote respect for women. Cespedes apologized for laughing while accepting the doll.
Alejandro Guiller, a guest at the dinner who reportedly plans to run for Chile president in 2017, said people laughed over the incident because it was an awkward situation, but added everyone at the dinner was aware it was a mistake and sorry for laughing.
Fantuzzi, who has daughters and granddaughters, also apologized in a tweet. He clarified it was not his intention to generate violence against women when he gave the sex doll as a gift to Cespedes, BBC reported.
Bachelet, in a tweet, said that beyond asking for forgiveness, the incident confirmed that machismo, sexism and misogyny are still prevalent in Chile.