Trump Endorses Sexual Assault, Alienates Survivors

Like most people, there are many complicated and nuanced components of my identity. There are many things I know myself to be, and many more in which I aspire to become. The truth is, at one point or another we are all forced to adopt an undesired identity. For me, this moment presented itself when I became a survivor of sexual assault. Earlier this weekend, old footage was released of the Republican nominee for President, Donald Trump, making it clear that he has a sense of entitlement to women and their bodies. Perhaps because of my own experience as a survivor, I have grown sadly accustomed to hearing this sort of grotesque rhetoric. I was pleasantly surprised that a media firestorm ensued and that many people were actually equally as disgusted by Trump’s remarks. Since the release of the condemning footage, at least twenty Republican candidates have withdrawn their endorsements of Trump.

In the video, Trump can be heard commenting that he is unable to restrain himself around women he finds attractive. In a conversation about soap opera star Arianne Zucker, he explains:

“I’ve got to use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. I just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”

Today I find Trump’s words eerily similar to my attacker’s own testimony. I recall him explaining how he couldn’t help himself. In the recently released footage, the future presidential nominee goes on to say: “Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything”. Hearing those shocking words sent shivers down my spine. They brought me back to the hearing in which my attacker pled guilty. He described his uncontrollable desire and how he couldn’t help but grab me from behind as he followed me for over half an hour around campus.

I am luckier than most survivors. My attacker received jail time and is now a registered sex offender. Following the lewd discussion between Donald Trump and Billy Bush,the two walk around a set with the young actress. Not knowing about the previous conversation between the men, the Zucker is shown shying away from flirtatious comments from both parties. At one point, Bush presses the star: “If you had to choose honestly between one of us, me or the Donald?” Zucker playfully “Pleads the Fifth” and jokingly states that she would take both men on a date.

I cannot imagine the rollercoaster that must have been Arianne Zucker’s weekend. I can still vividly recall my own outrage and embarrassment when I saw the flyers posted around campus after the attack, the story published in the city newspaper, and the segment on the evening news that went live after my attacker followed another student around campus. I was fortunate enough for my identity to remain anonymous, but Arianne Zucker’s is now familiar to most American households. Instead of being known for her professional accomplishments as an actress, including multiple Emmy nominations, Zucker is now famous for being the target of sexist, degrading comments made by a man pursuing the nation’s most prestigious position. Despite the whirlwind controversy, the actress has remained poised, polished, and apolitical. In an official statement she wrote:

“I have grown to learn that the words of others cannot affect the value of my self worth or define the content of my character. How we treat one another, whether behind closed doors, locker rooms or face to face, should be done with kindness, dignity and respect.” --Arianne Zucker

Donald Trump may repeatedly state that he respects women, but his words and actions continually prove inconsistent with this claim. In an attempt to argue that Hillary Clinton is less of an ally to the female population than himself, Trump invited several women tied to sex scandals with Bill Clinton to the Sunday evening debate. These women have publicly identified themselves as survivors of harassment and sexual abuse at the hand of Bill Clinton, and others maintain that they had extramarital affairs with the former President. As a survivor, I cannot help but shudder at the insensitivity of Trump inviting the women to the debate and then acknowledging their presence to the nation. Having been unable to face my attacker in court without crying, I cannot imagine the emotional state of those women as they sat in that room. Although they likely were present at the event on account of their own free will, it is doubtful that being in the presence of Bill and Hillary Clinton was an experience that was in any way gratifying or pleasant for these women.

It is impossible to ignore my own experience and tremendously more difficult for me to turn a blind eye to these blatant instances of sexism. With the conclusion of tonight’s debate, the spotlight has already begun to shift away from this latest Trump controversy and many media outlets are beginning to talk about the issues that really matter, like the candidates’ failure to shake hands and the absence of an American flag pin from Clinton’s lapel. What I ask of anyone reading this post is to always consider the experiences of others in your own politics. The personal is indeed political, but the safety and security of friends, family, and neighbors should be paramount. Unfortunately, sexually lewd remarks like Trump’s can be heard at any given night in any given bar. Passively ignoring these comments helps to destigmatize sexual harassment and unwanted sexual advances. No system of privilege--whether it be founded on gender, economic, or celebrity status--EVER entitles any human to another person’s body. Those who stand by, unbothered by and unresponsive to sexist remarks only promote a culture of sexual entitlement and bystander negligence. Most ironic about this campaign-defining story is the fact that despite running on a platform centered around borders and barriers, Donald Trump misses the mark entirely on gender equality, sexism, and personal boundaries.

#identitypolitics #identity #DonaldTrump #women #sexism #media #equality