“Boys will be boys.”
“Locker room banter.”
“I said it, but I didn’t mean it.”
With the surfacing of the “hot mic,” tapes, we as both women and men have to decide whether we’re willing to elect a man who so blatantly, disrespectfully and unapologetically believes women can be treated like a cat treats catnip.
Donald Trump seems to be saying that because Bill Clinton treated women disrespectfully, it’s ok for him to do so, as well. Bill Clinton paid dearly, by going through impeachment hearings, if I remember correctly. Also, by the way, BILL CLINTON IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. But more importantly, it doesn’t mean his behavior was a good thing. And it doesn’t and shouldn’t mean we should allow this kind of behavior to continue.
Isn’t it time to say no? We’re at the point where a strong woman is running for president, having an equal shot at the biggest job in the land, so isn’t it time we stopped sweeping this kind of male behavior under the rug with an exhausted giggle and a knowing roll of the eyes? Isn’t it time to change the acceptability of men treating women as something they can manipulate in the name of power? Isn’t it time we as women stopped thinking this is something we just have to put up with to get by?
I sent my 21 year old son a text that told him he can never talk about women the way Donald Trump has (and continues to) talk to and about women. I told him that he was above that and better than that. Every mother needs to remind their sons of this right now. Because we have to start somewhere in making this issue history. I know loads of men, including my husband, who speak about and to women respectfully. I’m not trying to get down on males in general. I’m trying to say that this is a moment to look at the behavior our male presidential candidate displays and make some decisions about how we as a country want to move forward, how we as a country want to respond.
We have an opportunity, men and women, to make a change that’s needed to be made for a long, long, long time. Men just have to stop being given a pass when they treat, or talk about women in sexually degrading ways. It’s happened to me, and I’m guessing it’s happened to every woman I know in one way or another.
With our votes, we can speak. Let’s say something that matters.
*the gratitude-a-thon 