On Friday afternoon, a recording was unearthed of Donald Trump making lewd comments about women and boasting about sexual assault. While Trump saying awful things about women is nothing new, these latest comments are some of his most disgusting yet. Trumps blasé attitudes towards consent in these recordings are essentially the very definition of rape culture, and women online are seeing their own stories of assault in his callous words.
Writer and comedian Kelly Oxford took to Twitter on Friday night to give these women a forum to share their own stories in order to show that while Trump’s words may seem innocuous or just “boys being boys” to many, they actually belie a deeper cultural issue.
https://twitter.com/kellyoxford/status/784541062119456769
The sheer number of responses, while tragic, is hardly surprising. Despite the inevitability, this twitter thread is remarkably difficult to read.
https://twitter.com/katespencer/status/784548897645555713
https://twitter.com/laurahazardowen/status/784548067735375876
https://twitter.com/ariellebeau/status/784551399577247744
https://twitter.com/ejwillingham/status/784546003814842368
https://twitter.com/jennineak/status/784555767043092480
old man Disneyland cups my butt and fingers hit vag while I'm in line for ice cream at Disneyland when I was 14
— Ginger Gonzaga ✨ (@gingerthejester) October 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/StyleWriterNYC/status/784549450442240003
https://twitter.com/caitidh/status/784543539069874176
I was 10, he was my babysitter. Told me he was training me for boys when I got older.
— laurennmcc.bsky.social (@laurennmcc) October 8, 2016
so many I can't remember the first one. And didn't know it was assault until very recently. "Boys will be boys" I was told.
— 𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙸𝙴 𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈 (@AngieAway) October 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/jayasax/status/784554050566103040
https://twitter.com/SayWhatSugar/status/784541877810892804
I was #grabbedbythepussy by guy on a bike while walking down the street when I was 12. Was scared to wear skirts for awhile.
— Sarah Sophie Flicker (@sarahsophief) October 7, 2016
17- waitress. Asked to 'settle a gentlemen's bet' re my underwear. Refused to answer; they grabbed my ass to see themselves
— ariel (taylor's version) (ldn nights 3 & 5) (@arielufret) October 8, 2016
https://twitter.com/melissajenna/status/784547481422012417
The saddest part is that these tweets are the very tip of the iceberg, as thousands of women responded with their own stories of sexual assault. When Donald Trump jovially speaks of groping women against their will, nearly every woman has flashbacks to her own similar situations. This is not just “locker room talk.” This is an unfortunate reality that women have to deal with, and it has to end.
(Via Kelly Oxford’s Twitter)