French ministers in classroom for anti-sexism lessons

PARIS (REUTERS) - Ministers in France's new Socialist government are attending anti-sexism courses with presentations on stereotyping, inappropriate language and tips on how to avoid gaffes.

The hour-long classes, which also cover wage disparity and domestic violence, were the brainchild of Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, head of the newly recreated Women's Rights Ministry and also the government's official spokesman.

The sessions are part of an effort to weed out casual sexism in politics in a nation with a tradition of ignoring the occasional pestering of female subordinates by men in power.

Allegations over the conduct of Socialist politician and ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn's triggered a soul-searching debate in France last year.