Mayor José Torres Hurtado was presiding over a ceremony on Wednesday for the top ten students who scored the highest on exams, but his comments explaining how they should dress to a hotel party in their honour went a little too far for some.
"I ask you and your parents to come as if you're going to play sports, don't come dressed elegantly. You all know that women become more elegant the more they undress, while men become more elegant the more they put on," he told the audience at the ceremony in the Granada city hall.
"So let's all go in shirts and comfortable trousers because we want to have a good time and enjoy the night."
Some on Twitter reacted angrily, with many expressing "disgust" at his comments and one person saying "Men like José Torres Hurtado, the further away from the planet the better".
Asco nivel... José Torres Hurtado, alcalde de Granada: "Las mujeres, cuanto más desnudas, más elegantes" http://t.co/CfDXKQTTjn
— Ana (@AnaIoanas) July 8, 2015
Los hombres como José Torres Hurtado, cuanto más lejos del planeta mejor. http://t.co/hely1sTgNV
— josep carmona gonzál (@kornak_83) July 8, 2015
Others said it was "purely typical machismo" culture coming from a member of the conservative Popular Party (PP).
José Torres Hurtado, alcalde Granada (PP): “Las mujeres, cuanto más desnudas, más elegantes” ¡¡¡Machismo típico PP en estado puro!!!.
— José María Puga (@jmpugae) July 8, 2015
Another Twitter user said "What a disgrace of a mayor. What a sexist he is".
Que vergüenza de alcalde. Que machista es. #AlcaldeDeGranada
— Carmen Rodríguez (@Carmmen3_) July 8, 2015
The city hall defended Torres Hurtad, saying that he had made the comments in the context of the heatwave sweeping the nation and because the event was to be held outdoors.
"There was no sexist intent. He was using a good-natured tone, a friendly tone," a city spokesperson told newspaper El Pais.
The hashtag #AlcaldedeGranada, meaning mayor of Granada, was trending in Spain on Twitter as of Wednesday afternoon.
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