There are a lot of things that Donald Trump says and does that are worth our scrutiny and condemnation. A lot of those things have to do with his treatment of women. He’s been accused by more than a dozen women of sexual harassment or assault. He’s said he’s not a feminist. Just this week, he defended now-former staff secretary Rob Porter, who has been accused of assault by multiple ex-wives and girlfriends. He defended Porter in front of reporters and later in a tweet that appeared to be a criticism of the entire #MeToo movement.
Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018
Trump has stood by other alleged abusers, including but not limited to Roy Moore (accused of inappropriate contact with minors, including at least one instance of sexual assault), his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (accused of assaulting a female reporter), and Fox News’ Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly (accused of many, many instances of sexual assault and harassment).
What Trump never mentioned in any of these instances was any concern at all for the women involved.
Again, all this is to point out what we all already know: If you want to criticize Trump, especially in the way he seems to regard women, there are a lot of angles from which you can come. Valid angles that don’t harm or disrespect any women in the process. In a tweet sent out this weekend, frequently problematic comedian and talk show host Chelsea Handler chose a different angle.
There is an entire generation of children who’s first memory of their President is a man who supports child molestors, wife beaters, Russian hacking, and porn stars. It is our responsibility to make that a memory and not a consistency. We all have a moral obligation. Keep going.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) February 10, 2018
Judd Apatow also wrote something similar.
Trump is pro sexual assault, anti environmentalist, anti banking regulations, pro debt, anti immigrant, pro porn star, anti women’s rights, anti health care for all, pro KFC, anti reading, anti exercise, pro domestic abusers, pro Gitmo, anti gun safety, pro P grabbing. https://t.co/fXlqNzZgIN
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) February 11, 2018
As you might imagine, a lot of people were upset that Handler and Apatow would put adult film stars on the same level of ethical corruption and moral bankruptcy as domestic abuse, defunding health care, and Russian hacking.
Pornstars on the same level of child molesters & wife beaters? How dare you shame us & continue the stigma that goes along with our industry. Most of us are hard working, honest, liberated, independent woman. We deserve support from our families & our country. @chelseahandler https://t.co/zcTbIXYggq
— Riley Reid (@rileyreidx3) February 11, 2018
It’s disheartening to see even progressive celebrities like Chelsea Handler have such negative views on the adult industry and its workers. Archaic views on sex, sexuality and sex workers is highly prevalent, along with misinformation. It’s 2018, people. Fuck with the lights on.
— Missy Martinez (@MissyXMartinez) February 11, 2018
Are you SERIOUSLY lumping porn stars in with child molesters and wife beaters? WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU
— Holly Randall (@hollyrandall) February 11, 2018
Being pro Pornstar is being pro someone that has a legal a job that pays taxes and should have equal access to democracy but gets stigmatized by the same population that uses our services. Please delete this and reword it. You’re shitting on a lot of good people.
— Sovereign Syre (@SovereignSyre) February 11, 2018
as a sex worker, fuck you
— 🍬 sophie bee 🍭 (@pogform) February 11, 2018
Apatow attempted a follow-up tweet indicating his real problem is with infidelity since Trump’s alleged affair with Stormy Daniels was said to have taken place while Melania was pregnant with their son Baron. But those were not the words he chose, and given his original tweet, it’s hard to see this shift as anything but a justification for his sex-negative pearl-clutching.
We already have a president who doesn’t respect women. The last thing we need is critics doing the same. The shaming of any form of consensual sex work has no place in progressive politics.
dear progressive friends, it’s 2018. please don’t throw sex workers under the bus while pretending you’re all about agency for all. either you believe in self-determination or you don’t. thanks. https://t.co/v79MzCbm13
— The Mountain Goats (@mountain_goats) February 12, 2018
(image: Shutterstock)
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