这场闹剧还得从英国脱欧说起。众所周知，苏格兰此前一直不支持英国脱欧。于是，英国这厢刚启动脱欧程序，那厢苏格兰又嚷嚷着独立。
为此，梅姨专程跑到苏格兰，与苏格兰首席大臣妮古拉•斯特金（Nicola Sturgeon）谈判。
也许是因为脱欧、脱英都算不上新鲜事儿啦，英国报纸《每日邮报》为了博眼球，竟然剑走偏锋在3月28日的头版头条处刊登了这样一篇报道：
配图中的两位女性正在商讨国家大事，而报道的标题却是“Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it!（先别管脱欧了，谁的腿更胜一筹！）”。Brexit对Legs-it，标题起得还挺押韵~
报道称，两位女政客的双腿是她们的武器：“Finest weapons at their command? Those pins!（她们拥有的最精良的武器？是那双腿！）”
还评价斯特金的腿“更有情调，挑逗地交叉着……是一种直接的诱惑（more flirty, tantalisingly crossed … a direct attempt at seduction）。”
这篇报道果然让《每日邮报》受到了广泛关注，不过基本上都是质疑的声音。
“美腿报道”被批“歧视女性、低能”
首先站出来的是英国工党女议员哈尔曼（Harriet Harman）和库珀（Yvette Cooper），二人称：
“低能，现在是2017年了！”
《每日邮报》回怼：政治新闻不一定要沉闷
面对英国各界的声讨，《每日邮报》坚持不承认报道有何不妥，只是在头条标题下面，加了一小行字：SARHA VINE'S light-hearted verdict on the big showdown（莎拉·瓦因对大摊牌的娱乐评论）。暗示文章的作者就是女性，且只是一篇娱乐新闻，因此不存在性别歧视。
而《每日邮报》的发言人更直言，政治新闻报道不一定要沉闷，批评者实在无聊：
"For goodness sake, get a life! Sarah Vine's piece, which was flagged as light-hearted, was a side-bar alongside a serious political story. "
“拜托，别那么无聊！莎拉·瓦因的文章是一篇关于严肃政治事件的娱乐花边新闻。”
"It appeared in an 84-page paper packed with important news and analysis, a front page exclusive on cost-cutting in the NHS, and a health supplement devoted to women's health issues,"
“它出现在一份84页的报纸上，这上面满是重要的新闻及分析，头版有关于英国国民健康保险制度削减成本的独家报道，健康副刊关注妇女健康问题。”
"For the record, the Mail was the paper which, more than any other, backed Theresa May for the top job. Again for the record, we often comment on the appearance of male politicians including Cameron's waistline, Osborne's hair, Corbyn's clothes - and even Boris's legs.
“需要指出的是，《每日邮报》比其他任何报纸都更支持特蕾莎·梅担任首相。另外，我们经常评论男性政客的外表，比如大卫·卡梅伦的腰围，奥斯本的头发，柯宾的衣着，甚至是鲍里斯的腿。”
"Is there a rule that says political coverage must be dull or has a po-faced BBC and left-wing commentariat, so obsessed by the Daily Mail, lost all sense of humour ... and proportion?"
“难道有规则说，政治报道必须是沉闷的，或者必须像BBC一样一本正经、请左翼评论家发表意见？人们为什么死揪着《每日邮报》不放，难道一点幽默感……和分寸感也没有了吗？”
梅姨大气回应：随他们便吧
虽然争论双方各执己见、争论不休，但作为事件当事人，梅姨的回应倒是相当大气。她在接受采访时表示：
"You will notice that I am wearing trousers today!"
“你会发现我今天穿的是裤子！”
"As a woman in politics throughout my whole career I have found that very often, what I wear - particularly my shoes - has been an issue that has been looked at rather closely by people."
“作为一名女性政客，我经常遇到这种事情，我的衣着，特别是鞋子已经成为人们非常关注的话题。”
"Obviously what we do as politicians is what makes a difference to people's lives. I think that most people concentrate on what we do as politicians.
“显然我们作为政治人物的职责在于改善人们的生活。我觉得大多数人的关注点还是在我们的政治身份与工作上的。”
"But if people want to have a bit of fun about how we dress, then so be it."
“但是，如果有人如果能从我们的穿着上找点乐子，那么随他们便吧。”
英国主流报业的风格特色
《每日邮报》能“作”出这样的事情小编一点也不意外，毕竟连其发言人也说了，我们就是经常关注政治家花边新闻的那种媒体。
事实上，英国的报业非常发达，各大主流报纸的特色也不尽相同，目标读者群有很大差异。《纽约时报》曾总结《每日邮报》的读者是：
Middle-class housewives who live in fear of rising house prices, Elton John and Gypsies.
整日担心房价上涨的中产阶级家庭主妇， 艾尔顿·约翰以及吉普赛人。
英国情景剧《是，首相》（Yes Prime Minister）里面有一段台词，精辟地概括了各主流报纸的特点，小编特意摘录出来。看完这个，或许你会对《每日邮报》等英国报纸有更清楚的认识，也可以更好地避开雷区。
The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country.
《镜报》的读者是认为自己掌管着国家的人。
The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country.
《卫报》的读者是认为自己应该掌管国家的人。
The Times is read by the people who actually do run the country.
《泰晤士报》的读者是实际上掌管国家的人。
The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country.
《每日邮报》的读者是掌管国家的人的妻子。
The Financial Times is read by people who own the country.
《金融时报》的读者是拥有国家的人。
The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country.
《晨星报》的读者是认为这个国家应该由别国来掌管的人。
The Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is.
《每日电讯报》的读者认为国家已经由外国人掌管。
Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits.
《太阳报》的读者不关心谁治理国家，只要她（三版女郎）“前凸后翘”就行。