Fifty Democratic congresswomen have signed a scathing open letter that calls out Donald Trump over his “continuing derogation of women” in his rhetoric and policies.
The members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus cited some of Trump’s most troubling comments about women — including his hot-mic boast about sexual assault on the 2005 “Access Hollywood” bus ride — before noting “it is most shameful that the words young girls and boys hear directed at women from the upper echelons of power are dripping with disdain and disrespect.”
“Beyond your public policy choices — stripping away women’s access to health care, undermining protections for survivors of sexual assault, reversing equal pay efforts and more — your words demonstrate a contempt for women who dare to do their jobs or speak truth to power which reflects poorly on you,” the group wrote, suggesting “it is as if you relish the opportunity to publicly humiliate any woman who fights back, speaks up, or takes up space.”
The lawmakers claimed “the message being sent to young girls and boys is that women don’t matter and their equality is allowable only when convenient,” citing secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s ridiculing of NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly for asking questions about the Ukraine scandal as a recent case in point.
“Mr. President, instead of being the biggest bully on the playground, why don’t you set a moral example for our children?” concluded the letter that representative Jackie Speier shared on Twitter:
Representative Ayanna Pressley shared the letter with the message, “Words matter.” “The Occupant’s misogynistic rhetoric is equally as disturbing as the misogynistic, anti-women policies coming out of his administration on a daily basis,” she added.