Opinion: Trump's hideous sexism
Much has been written about why Donald Trump remains popular among some women despite his offensive comments. In the last few months, I have asked women who support Trump across the United States whether they feel offended and attacked by his words. I have received the same answer from academics, the young, the old, unemployed, teachers, doctors and businesswomen: "He doesn't mean it." But also: "We need another strong man in the White House." And: "What he does is more important than what he says."
Against political correctness
Well-known psychologists have written long essays on this phenomenon. They have painted Trump to be the last remaining true white man, who is not debilitated by political correctness over gender issues. Among men, he is an example and hope that the days of there being manliness are not over. For some women, Trump supposedly is the embodiment of the direct expression of sexual desires in a world where such desires are no longer allowed to be expressed openly.
Such crude ideas are now hopefully put to rest. It is understood that Trump's view of women has nothing to do with manliness, but rather with brutish sexism.
Washington Post video
The Washington Post published a video of Trump speaking in 2005, shortly after the then TV star had married his current wife, Melania. The video doesn't leave any room for misinterpretation. Nobody can claim his utterances were taken out of context or were only a joke.
Trump is heard talking about hitting on an unknown married woman, who he took furniture shopping. "I moved on her and I failed, I'll admit it. I did try and f--- her, she was married," Trump said. "I moved on her like a b--ch."
Abuse of power
The most vile part though is when he clearly brags that his fame, wealth and power enables him to do whatever he wants, including sexually assaulting women. "When you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything," he said.
There is indeed a conceivable reason why men have up until now supported Trump. There is a reason why they put hope in a political outsider who they believe will finally take care of those who feel abandoned by Washington. They have built their hopes on an independent businessman taking the country out of its political morass and moving it forward.
Incomprehensible
Whoever supports Trump after this video puts themselves in the same category as rank sexists who degrade women to mere sex objects and brag about sexually assaulting them. For that no one can have any understanding.
It is likely that this video will not deter fanatical Trump supporters from voting for him on November 8. In the end, the vote will be decided by those 8 to 10 percent of the population who are still undecided. Hopefully these people will understand after this weekend that it would be a fatal decision for their daughters and granddaughters if such a man were to win against the first female presidential candidate.
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