By Kara Alaimo
But the misogyny is another story, as Markle discerned. Manne argues that misogyny involves punishing women who don't act the way men want them to. This is exactly what Trump does, and he does it publicly. He called Pelosi, Markle and Clinton "nasty." He called one-time aide Omarosa Manigault "that dog" after she wrote unflatteringly about him. He said then Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had "blood coming out of her wherever" after she asked him tough questions at a debate. He said Mika Brzezinski was "bleeding badly from a facelift" after she criticized him.
He called Rosie O'Donnell a "pig." There are many more instances -- too many to recount here -- of Trump's personal attacks on women who challenged him, mainly aimed at appearance and intelligence. (US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is a "lightweight;" Arianna Huffington and Bette Midler are "unattractive;" and Stephanie Clifford is a "horseface.")
Of course, such gendered insults would rarely, if ever, be applied to men. Manne wrote one way to identify misogyny is to contemplate whether men in comparable positions would get the same treatment. Many people mistakenly think misogyny involves hating all women, but "misogynists can love their mothers," wrote Manne. "Not to mention their sisters, daughters, wives, girlfriends, and secretaries ...They need not hate women universally, or even very generally. They tend to hate women who are outspoken, among other things."
Since we are accustomed to Trump's beyond-the-pale statements, why does the way the President speaks about Nancy Pelosi, Meghan Markle, Hillary Clinton or "wacky" US Sen. Jacky Rosen matter?
Simply, because he's the most-high profile person in America. His comments set the tone for our national discourse and for the way others -- including ordinary citizens and the federal government -- treat women in every realm of life.
As we approach the 2020 race, women and those who care about them need to think about whether it is in their interest -- and the interest of their daughters (and sons) -- to keep an inveterate misogynist in the White House as America leans into its future.
But the misogyny is another story, as Markle discerned. Manne argues that misogyny involves punishing women who don't act the way men want them to. This is exactly what Trump does, and he does it publicly. He called Pelosi, Markle and Clinton "nasty." He called one-time aide Omarosa Manigault "that dog" after she wrote unflatteringly about him. He said then Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had "blood coming out of her wherever" after she asked him tough questions at a debate. He said Mika Brzezinski was "bleeding badly from a facelift" after she criticized him.
He called Rosie O'Donnell a "pig." There are many more instances -- too many to recount here -- of Trump's personal attacks on women who challenged him, mainly aimed at appearance and intelligence. (US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is a "lightweight;" Arianna Huffington and Bette Midler are "unattractive;" and Stephanie Clifford is a "horseface.")
Of course, such gendered insults would rarely, if ever, be applied to men. Manne wrote one way to identify misogyny is to contemplate whether men in comparable positions would get the same treatment. Many people mistakenly think misogyny involves hating all women, but "misogynists can love their mothers," wrote Manne. "Not to mention their sisters, daughters, wives, girlfriends, and secretaries ...They need not hate women universally, or even very generally. They tend to hate women who are outspoken, among other things."
Since we are accustomed to Trump's beyond-the-pale statements, why does the way the President speaks about Nancy Pelosi, Meghan Markle, Hillary Clinton or "wacky" US Sen. Jacky Rosen matter?
Simply, because he's the most-high profile person in America. His comments set the tone for our national discourse and for the way others -- including ordinary citizens and the federal government -- treat women in every realm of life.
As we approach the 2020 race, women and those who care about them need to think about whether it is in their interest -- and the interest of their daughters (and sons) -- to keep an inveterate misogynist in the White House as America leans into its future.
