"I don't know how any self-respected woman can vote for [Clinton] and look at herself in the mirror," said Sherry Witlow to Vice News reporter Gianna Toboni.
"When you talk about [Trump] respecting women, his sister's a judge," said Gina Fernano in a video about the Women for Trump organization in Florida. "The way Donald treated his mother. Phenomenal."
The official presidential nominee for the Republican Party, Donald Trump, has managed to convince thousands of women that his treatment for their counterparts is irrelevant to his potential as a President. Some think that any decent woman should vote Trump. Others insist that his respect for women is rooted in the merit of his sister and his kind treatment of the woman who brought him into this world. How could he be a misogynist if he let his sister become a judge? How could he disrespect women if he was nice to his mom?
When #TrumpGirlsBreakTheInternet was trending at the end of June, a lot of people freaked out. Of course, it was less about rallying women supporters than it was a chance for mostly white, young and conventionally attractive young women to pose scantily clad with Trump merchandise. It went viral. It's not surprising that some of the most visible female Trump support on social media shows blondes in bikinis.
Why would any woman support this candidate?
"I have seen him with women being the kindest, nicest person," said Ildiko Varga, the Founder and President of Women for Trump.
Ah yes, so we understand that he can be quite charming. Unclear why that should automatically secure a vote. What about when he's not being the kindest, nicest person? What about when his "honest talk" turns to condescending bullying as he insults women? He can charm a million women but what about when he makes fun of a woman for being fat—or when he claimed no one would vote for a woman because of her face—or when he suggested a woman's menstrual cycle could be to blame for her asking tough questions? Those incidents are only the most recent. In his history, Trump has attacked and ridiculed women for decades.
No one's saying Hillary Clinton is the champion of feminism because she isn't. White feminism works pretty well for her but it's caused some serious damage to this country. She has been one of the most entitled candidates in her approach to women voters, assuming that most will vote for her, no questions asked. She essentially had her pals Madeline Albright and Gloria Steinem publicly shame all women, particularly young voters, for not supporting the only woman in the race. While Donald Trump can get by verbally and emotionally abusing women, Hillary Clinton seems to succeed in abusing feminism. In spite of her condescending attitude, she is still the only candidate currently running who we could improve women's rights in this country, because clearly that's not the Republican platform.
"It must be a pretty picture. You dropping to your knees," said Trump to Brande Roderick in 2013 during Celebrity Apprentice.
So, how could any self-respected woman vote for Donald Trump?
