Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Feminism and Donald Trump

2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the City Club of Chicago to a sold out crowd on June 29 in Chicago. Trump discussed everything from immigration, Miss Universe, and "The Apprentice" to business.  (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the City Club of Chicago to a sold out crowd on June 29 in Chicago. Trump discussed everything from immigration, Miss Universe, and “The Apprentice” to business. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Donald Trump has made some seriously controversial statements during his campaign for presidency in 2016. From calling Mexican immigrants “rapists” to claiming John McCain was “only a war hero because he was captured,” Trump has made hefty claims that he doesn’t feel he needs to apologize for. He most damaged his campaign, however, when he directly attacked Fox News journalist Megyn Kelly after the Republican debate at the beginning of August.

Trump may have trouble grasping the votes of women, but he doesn’t make much attempt to attract women politically anyway. Kelly mentioned the fact that Trump refers to women as animals and sexual beings, and completely disregards them as businesswomen, equals and, in this case, journalists. Trump responded after the debate by saying that Kelly was a “lightweight” and had “blood coming out of her wherever.”

Through these statements, we can foresee just the type misogynistic president Donald Trump would be if elected. For decades, the feminism movement has worked to create equality of the sexes, but Trump appears to pay no mind to those efforts. He continually degrades women, and it’s clear he has no regard for women’s rights whatsoever.

Although it is still early in the presidential race, and Trump’s comments may not have much of an impact on the election itself, they have an impact on the feminist movement. A public figure like Donald Trump participating on the “war on women,” as Rosie O’Donnell explains, pushes feminism back and hurts the Republican Party as well. By implicitly supporting the superiority of men, as a Republican candidate, Trump gives the party a bad name standing by the negative rhetoric he uses to describe women. This also hurts his campaign by erasing female support.

By implying that Kelly a bad journalist because of her gender and her “ridiculous” questions about women’s rights, Trump is further encouraging the assumed superiority of men in politics and journalism. Furthermore, he discourages women to be politically active and involved in national affairs.

Trump claims that he doesn’t “have time for political correctness,” but he mistakes political correctness with respect. Calling women “pigs”, “dogs”, and other demeaning names isn’t politically incorrect so much as it is just downright disrespectful. Trump fired these hateful statements specifically at Rosie O’Donnell during the debate, to which O’Donnell responded, “Women fought for equality in this country, and right now, politically, it’s being taken away from us.”

In truth, it is. Donald Trump is, once again, taking the feminist movement and making it a joke in the eyes of the Republican Party. His supporters have continuously expressed that he is “real,” and that he is simply voicing the opinions that most people don’t have the courage to voice. It is clear, however, that Trump’s comments are hurtful and demeaning, and choosing him as the Republican candidate for the 2016 election would not be in anyone’s best interest, men or women alike.

Karly Dunn is a Collegian contributor and can be reached at [email protected].

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  • Z

    Zac BearsSep 10, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    Karly: Trump is clearly anti-women and anti-feminist. And I’m surprised that more anti-feminists didn’t come out to defend him. Great piece. I’m sure you’ll keep holding bigots accountable for their bigotry.

    Reply
  • R

    Ruben RiveroSep 8, 2015 at 5:52 am

    Donald Trump is most fascinating. Extreme right is the only one capable of defeating the extreme left, which is a horrendous plight my country suffers every day. He will be President for the benefit of the free world.

    Reply
  • J

    Joe BlokeSep 8, 2015 at 2:01 am

    Not to mention, your editorial is a narrative with made up facts to order. (Journalism is the reverse. You’ve seemed to miss that.)

    You state that “[Megyn] Kelly mentioned the fact that Trump refers to women as animals and sexual beings, and completely disregards them as businesswomen, equals and, in this case, journalists.” No. Kelly never said any of that. All she said on the matter is contained in her question to Trump during the debate and a statement she made on her show about a week later. Rather this is what you say, putting your words in Kelly’s mouth. But as it were, it doesn’t even matter. Whether you or Kelly says it, it is contrary to Trump’s assertion in defense, which assertion in defense it is your job to verify. You’ve failed that job. Trump asserts that a) he was one of the first developers to put women in charge of major construction projects, that b) women in his organization happen to be paid more then men and that c) in his organization, a large number of women, comparatively, fill senior roles. Is any of this true? If you are unable to verify the assertions in defense, you should at least mention such defensive assertions, unless they are too implausible to believe–and they are not, because what everyone else understand and you do not is that all hurt feelings do not result from either the capacity or the intent to oppress an entire sex. In other words, chill. (And send your resume to Trump. Managing a construction job would be a better use of your time.)

    Reply
  • J

    Joe BlokeSep 8, 2015 at 1:48 am

    No one is a feminist anymore. Feminism today is the same as sexism. No one is going to hurt your feelings or be mean to you, or, rather–your daddy isn’t around to kiss it and make it better anymore. Grow up. Women aren’t in need of emancipation anymore, certainly not from you–some undergraduate commentator enjoying all the fruits with none of the labor of a previous generation of real feminists, for whom hurt feelings were hurt lives. Pack it in and find some other faux cause to carp about or, better yet, start eating your fruits. Go to class, study, enjoy your rights–in many cases, rights superior to mens’. And drop your facile philosophy of hurt feelings.

    Reply