On Tuesday, July 30th Mark Roberts, an Independent Congressional candidate for Oregon's District 2, lashed out through Twitter calling Melania Trump a "hoe bag" who "works by the hour." Over the past week, he has been scrutinized and slammed by Republicans for his outrageous sexist comment. But where are the Democrats?
Since the 2016 election, Melania Trump has been on blast by the media and the public, specifically those who oppose her husband's presidency. But this comment goes beyond politics. Regardless of your political affiliation and policy ideas, we must all stand up for the First Lady. Not because she's the First Lady, but because she is a lady, period. Our society, and especially our women's movements, have become so divided by politics that we forget to stand in solidarity against misogynistic bullies, on and off the screens. Equality for women begins with women of all political parties banding together.
I'll be the first to admit that I do not support the Trump family and their actions. I do not support Trump's presidency, and I disagree with his policies and ideas. But my opinions of the president do not define my opinions of FLOTUS. Within the past couple of years of the Trump presidency, FLOTUS has been seen making questionable decisions from her "I really don't care. Do U?" jacket to her plagiarized speech. It's even more questionable how she publicly supports a cyber bully like her husband, especially with her new Be Best campaign, which promotes combating bullying. But our support, or lack thereof, for her husband should not affect whether or not we give her our support in the face of slut-shaming and sexist insults.
Republicans have all jumped to FLOTUS's aid, defending her and calling out Roberts for such an immature and disgusting comment, just as they do when most Republican politicians and public figures are slandered on social media. Democrats will also, just as often, stand by their own liberal women in similar situations. But what feminism proponents fail to understand is that if we do not all support one another, regardless of political opinions, the women's movement fails. And if you turn a blind eye to the derogatory, sexist insults thrown at Melania Trump, or any woman with differing values or opinions than you, you are not a feminist.
I have always been big on women's advocacy, but it wasn't until I saw these recent tweets deployed against Melania Trump that I recognized just how partisan the women's movement has become. If we do not learn that "women supporting women" means "women supporting women despite political views and affiliation," then we will be the setback that prevents the women's movement from inciting real change in the coming years.
