In the world of real estate, pageants, dating, and modeling, Donald Trump has made quite an impression and whether it has been good or bad solely depends on his actions.
In his book, “Trump: The Art of the Comeback”, he writes how “… I bring out either the best or worst in women.” He goes on to describe in length all there is about his personal life, relationships and work experience.
As far as his presidential campaign went, we learned from it that most of his interactions with women were either unwelcome romantic advances, explicit commentaries on their body shape or just how “low” the female gender was in comparison to males.
So how does this play out now that he is the president-elect? Will more men follow his advice of “Just kiss, I don't even wait, grab them by the pussy; when you're a star, they let you do anything”? Or will they be ashamed that someone like this represents them?
In public and private, Trump has both shown he does not see women as more than mere sex objects, even towards women who it seems as if he has some type of admiration of; their physical attributions are what he values first.
So how many men think this way?
How many of the men who currently surround all women have the same thread of thought as Trump does? And just how many may feel obliged to speak their minds and act upon their beliefs since our highest exemplified ruling has made it publicly aware that it is okay to demean women?
Women have suffered enough throughout the years to have such a man be in control of our choices.
A man who has been accused of sexual assault more than 7 times in the last two decades.
A man who has explicitly stated he sees women as “magnets” and kisses them without any type of consent whatsoever.
Before a tape in which he makes several lewd comments was released, the Clinton administration made sure some of his worst words became infamous; calling Rosie O’ Donnell a “big fat pig” and a “slob”, criticizing super model Heidi Klum and ranking her, saying “she is no longer a 10.”
The individual insults, although very degrading, are unfortunately and unsurprisingly only one facet of our president-elect. More and more anecdotes throughout the years have shown how he has no boundaries about commenting on women’s appearance or their sexuality.
So in a world where everything is already overly sexualized, would having a president who has no sense of respect lead us back to the 1920’s? A time where it was an honor to be allowed to vote- a right we all now consider, women’s suffrage.
As a women who currently deals with many stereotypes as both a Latina and a female, I fear for my rights. I fear that I will lose any type of acknowledgment and respect I have received. But I also fear for the lives of all the other young women who have to deal with this type of behavior on a daily basis.
Women who have had experiences such as Jessica Leads, who told The New York Times that she sat next to Trump in first class on an airplane in 1980, and he grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hands up her skirt without any type of consent.
Women like Rachel Crooks, also interviewed by the New York Times, who said she met Trump outside an elevator at Trump Tower when she was 22. When she introduced herself to him, Mr. Trump shook her hands, kissed her cheeks, and then kissed her on the mouth.
Many prayed for the day women got a say when it came down to their choices in regards to their bodies, the day where women weren’t mandated to stay at home because that was their “place.”
And although those days came, I now pray we get to keep those rights, and that there are men who are disgusted by this “locker room talk” our president-elect denies ever happened.
