2017 has be the year of the #MeToo movement, which has empowered women to speak
up about sexual misconduct. Famous and powerful men, both in Hollywood and in politics, have been unmasked as sexual predators, and many of them have lost their jobs (as they should). But there’s one man who’s been accused by 15 women, and hasn’t been punished in the slightest: Donald Trump, the President of the United States.
A group of three women, all of whom accuse Trump of sexual misconduct, held a press
conference and called on Congress to investigate Trump’s actions. Three members of Congress have already resigned due to sexual misconduct accusations: Rep. Conyers, Rep. Franks, and Sen. Franken. If these government officials are being held to this appropriate standard, why isn’t the President? And if he’s innocent, as he claims, what does he have to lose from an investigation?
The call for an investigation took a notable step forward when multiple senators called for
Trump’s investigation and resignation, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Kirsten
Gillibrand. While multiple male senators called for the investigation, only one person received a Twitter attack: Kirsten Gillibrand. In a not-so-shocking turn of events, Trump attacked the woman in the mix, writing a disgusting tweet that insinuated that she had been willing to do “anything” for funding. The tweet carried sexual connotations that were not only unpresidential, but also sexist and rude.
Let’s not pretend to be surprised by Trump’s comments towards Senator Gillibrand or by the sexual assault accusations. The Access Hollywood tape that should’ve ended his candidacy showed all we needed to know about Trump and women: that he admitted to sexual assault and that he holds rampant disrespect for women. I won’t write the disturbing words of that recording here, but I encourage anyone with the slightest regard for women to read it.
Donald Trump has consistently disrespected women, and has been accused by 15 women of varying types of sexual misconduct. He should resign for his actions, but since he won’t Congress owes the women of America, especially Trump’s accusers, a thorough Congressional investigation. Those who commit sexual misconduct shouldn’t be in office.
