Prior to this week’s presidential debate, footage of Donald Trump surfaced in the media. In the 2005 files obtained by The Washington Post, Trump is heard speaking with TV host Billy Bush, stating that his fame allows him to “do anything” he wants to women, including “grabbing” them by the genitals without consent.
This forced several Republicans to revoke support of Trump. Tic-Tac has even released a statement, as Trump mentioned using the breath mints before kissing women in the video.
“Tic-Tac respects all women. We find the recent statements and behavior completely inappropriate and unacceptable,” the company released in a tweet.
While his language was fowl, it is not his word-choice that should offend Americans. It is the idea that he believes being a man of “power,” entitles him to violate women.
Trump supporters are quick to use terms like “locker room talk,” to defend him, similar to the explanation Trump himself gave after the tapes were released. They also turn the argument to focus on Bill Clinton’s alleged affairs and sexual misconduct while in office, in an effort to degrade Hillary Clinton’s current campaign.
The issue at hand is not that Trump used the word “pussy.” The issue is how easily Trump can justify making physical-sexual contact with a woman without consent.
But as Daily Show host Trevor Noah said, “Trump can try and excuse his behavior by calling it ‘locker room talk,’ but you realize, he wasn’t in a locker room. He was in a TV interview. If you conduct ‘locker room talk’ everywhere, it’s not the locker room, it’s you.”
If being a business mogul and TV host brings on that sort of power-trip, what will being president do to his ever-growing ego?
Supporting Trump after his comments were released only promotes the rape culture spreading across America. Accepting comments like these is the reason men like Brock Turner believe they are entitled to take what they want without permission from the other party involved.
This is not about Anti-Trump, or Pro-Hillary. It is about Pro-Consent.
