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A Friendly Women’s Day Reminder that the President Hates Women

A Friendly Women’s Day Reminder that the President Hates Women

Last updated on: March 8, 2018 at 7:19 am by Erin Wathen

A Friendly Women’s Day Reminder that the President Hates Women 2018-03-08T07:19:01-07:00 Erin Wathen

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Unless they are in direct service to him, that is. Sexually or otherwise. Think about it–every woman he’s ever said anything favorable about has been extremely attractive and/or, in some order-following position in his life. Wife, daughter, or faithful employee; or, media or government officials, but only the ones who have favorable things to say about him.

Plenty of trolls will overreact to my post title and fire back with a seemingly long list of women he doesn’t hate. Guess what? In the grand scheme of things, that list of women is so small it’s embarrassing. Like, tiny hands small. Ill-fitting made in China suit that you accidentally threw in the dryer small. It’s a short list, is what I’m saying. Having a few women in his circle of favor does not negate the fact that this man. Hates. Women.

Look, even Barbie has had it with this bullshit.

You may say it doesn’t matter. The Presidency is bigger than one person; many people voted for his “policies” and don’t share his views; women are better off than they are now, etc. Stop me if you’ve heard it. I’ve heard it all–apologists who say we’re overreacting, who say it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, or who say that “all men” act like this in private. The latter is patently untrue; and the former, appallingly naive. He has an unspeakable amount of power, actually– and has demonstrated again and again that he will abuse it, relentlessly.

If you think it doesn’t matter that the leader of the free world is a blatant misogynist, take a tally of how many women he has appointed to major leadership roles. His administration has fewer women than any since the Reagan years. This is not a coincidence, it is by design. And a lack of female voices in these top positions affects the rights of countless women, worldwide.

Talk to women in government, women in the sciences, women in religious leadership, or in any other male-dominated field, and they will all tell you a different version of the same story–our culture’s hatred of women runs deep. Having someone like this in a major elected office only works to enable and empower the people who think like him. The ones who would rather we stayed home; the ones who will refuse to pay us a living wage as long as the law allows it; and the ones who continue to politicize women’s health for their own gain. They all get away with it because there are not enough women in leadership to change the conversation.

That’s why women march. That’s why, today, women strike.

I’m not doing the ‘day without a woman’ thing because, as others of my clergy sisters have pointed out today, just being a woman and showing up for this work is an act of resistance. I also recognize the privilege inherent in my education and income status; I would risk nothing by staying home today. It’s not much of a statement.

But, here is a statement–never forget that we elected a man who hates women to the highest office in the land. Never forget that empowering his patriarchal worldview is a danger to women’s rights, and even to our lives.

For a reminder of the tangible ways he has demonstrated his true colors, check out this post, outlining every offensive thing he has said to, or about women over the last 3 decades. I’m here to tell you… the list is long.

Impossibly long. Unspeakably long. So long that I would normally apologize for sharing such a long article. You know what though? The sheer volume of disgusting comments is the very reason this should be shared far and wide today.

And just remember this–these are the ones we know about. Long (deplorably long) as this list is, these are only the ones he got busted for. The ones where a press camera or microphone happened to be present. The ones where a woman spoke out and pushed back, or where a witness was appalled enough to say something. This is more than a random list of questionable quotes; it is evidence of a way of life. A way of fat-shaming and sexual harassment; a way of demeaning and silencing and objectification. This list shows us that his public behavior is a mere iceberg to the relative glacier of abuse he’s accustomed to enacting, free of consequence, behind closed doors.

Maybe sharing this post does not add up to a consequence either. Maybe I’m just screaming into the void here and it doesn’t change anything. But I will never shut up about this. I will never “stop talking politics” or “give him a chance” or “agree to disagree” with people who have somehow reconciled their vote with this horrifying behavior. I will never give up my white hot rage that we willfully put this man in office, and I hope that you won’t either.

Meanwhile, here are some other ways to observe International Women’s Day, even if you are bringing it and kicking ass at work all day (or if you’re a dude). Check out The Women’s Foundation, which works for equality and addresses economic issues affecting women and families. Explore She Should Run, a non-profit working to put more women in office, or Emily’s List, which backs progressive women in leadership. Connect with your local chapter of League of Women Voters, or learn about any number of local and state organizations that offer support and mentoring for women interested in political careers. Donate to your favorite; or encourage a woman you know to run for office; or run your own damn self, because it is time.

Whatever you do to encourage and empower women today, find a way to troll your president (maybe on Twitter? I hear he likes to Tweet). Tell him that we will not forget, we will not shut up. We will not stop screaming into that void, as long as the void is government-sanctioned inequality.

Pre-order your copy of Resist and Persist: Faith and the Fight for Equality.

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