Sweden’s deputy prime minister, Isabella Lövin, shared a photo Friday that showed her signing a climate bill surrounded by seven colleagues, all of whom were women.
The photo stands in stark contrast to a recent picture of U.S. President Donald Trump that received swift criticism from Democrats and abortion rights groups when it showed him signing an order reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federal funding to international groups that perform abortions or provide information about the procedure. In the photo, Trump is surrounded by seven men.
Lövin’s photo shows her staring down the camera as seven women, one of whom is visibly pregnant, look on. Sweden, which declared itself the “first feminist government in the world,” has sought to make gender equality central to its policies.
“We are a feminist government, which shows in this photo. Ultimately it is up to the observer to interpret the photo,” said Lövin, who is also the environment and development aid minister, according to TheGuardian.
Many on social media interpreted the photo as critique of Trump.
“Want to thank the thousands of awesome, powerful people from all around the world thanking us for the #climate law pic. Love. Stay focused!” Lövin tweeted on Saturday.
Just signed referral of Swedish #climate law, binding all future governments to net zero emissions by 2045. For a safer and better future. pic.twitter.com/OqOO2y8BU6
— Isabella Lövin 🌻 (@IsabellaLovin) February 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/Iansinkins/status/827475995305328640
Compare and contrast: Trump restricts women's rights; Sweden's Isabella Lovin pushes world's most ambitious (?) climate law pic.twitter.com/1po54sDYsb
— Megan Darby (@climatemegan) February 3, 2017
This is the Swedish government signing a powerful climate deal and trolling #Trump at the same time. LOVE this, @IsabellaLovin! pic.twitter.com/fcjqeqRgfx
— Fiede Schillmoeller (@fiede) February 3, 2017