A silver lining in #TrumpTapes story
Call me Pollyanna but I'm starting to see a silver lining in "Pussygate".
The outpouring of revulsion at what Mr Trump said in that now infamous videotape shows how much attitudes towards women have changed.
As women have assumed more influence in the workforce, there's more discussion about what is OK and what is not - and more now falls into the "not OK" pile.
Is the gender playing field level? Of course it's not, but it's clear that what was acceptable in, say, the 1990s, is no longer acceptable today.
Sexual harassment should be zero. It's not, but progress is being made, thanks in part to what Mr Trump condemns as the tyranny of political correctness.
There's a plausible case to be made that Bill Clinton wouldn't be able to get elected today with his past sexual history. The repeated allegations of assault, harassment and even rape would surely have been more of a political liability in 2016.
President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky was consensual. There's no video tape of him denigrating women in general or suggesting he could do anything he wanted to women because he was commander-in-chief.
But there was definitely something unsavoury about a very powerful man having sexual relations with an intern, especially given Mr Clinton's widely reported past.
It all smacked of droit de seigneur.
Many women were appalled at the time, but the Lewinsky affair didn't actually hurt Mr Clinton's poll numbers.
In early 1998, when the scandal broke, his approval ratings were 50%. At the end of that year, they had risen to 70%.
Research by the University of Iowa suggests the affair didn't undermine the public's overall opinion of Bill Clinton's character.
- #NotOkay: Sex assault outpouring after Trump video
- What Trump said - a transcript
- Why this Trump row is different
Donald Trump compares himself to Bill Clinton but he's missing the point. Women have more of a voice today and we expect more from the men we work with. Our tolerance for what Mr Trump dismisses as "locker room" banter is wearing thin.
We are mothers, sisters and wives. We are also chief executives, astronauts, generals, prime ministers, chancellors and editors, Why should we have to put up with men talking about us like that, anywhere, even in the privacy of their "locker rooms"?
We know the stats on rape and harassment are still far too high. Somewhere between one in three and one in five women are victims of unwanted sexual advances.
Just look around your office or your school or your family and do the maths. It's not pretty.
But social media is giving women a louder voice.
Take a moment to look at the twitter feed of Kelly Oxford, the Canadian writer who asked women to share their stories of harassment after the video emerged. It's sobering reading.
Thousands of women have tweeted their experiences and at the time of writing this, they still are. A veil is finally being lifted on what was once a taboo subject.
What's heartening is that the overwhelming majority of men seem to be as appalled as women at what Mr Trump has unleashed.
Psychology Professor
8 å¹´I wish that trump was more mature, and tactful, because i wish i could vote for someone other than Hillary; due to the information that was brought forth about her, but he is not better. He couldn't even change his ways to be more trust worthy because he was so cocky and thought he could win.
Psychology Professor
8 å¹´music, and movies are different from politics. I don't care what movies people watch or what music they listen to, but when it comes to my leaders, they need to be tactful. I think the main issue isn't that trump is doing nasty things, its that his supporters make it seem as if he does nothing at all. So if they can be so blind and defend someone without acknowledging his wrongs, it makes them look silly when they point out Hillary's wrongs. Its all about delivery. If trump was more tactful, there would be no question about who to vote for. He makes it hard for people to trust him. Hilary is a lier, trump is a lier. Hilary has committed crimes, trump has committed crimes. Hilary is tactful and race sensitive, trump is not. Hilary (even if its for show) shows concerns for the matters i care for, Trump does not. Hilary shows maturity when speaking of serious matters such as weaponry and war, trump does not. Hilary has admitted to being wrong (which is very admirable, trump does not, he throws temper tantrums. Anything else?
Never be afraid to F.A.I.L. (frequent attempts in learning)
8 å¹´Interesting how people will flock to watch movies these days that are pretty disgusting, i.e. deadpool or listen to music that degrades women without a flinch, but trump says something 11 years ago and everyone freaks out. USA is full of hypocrites. Porn is a $60 billion a year business in the USA. and a lot of the women in it, aren't there by choice or are a product of abuse and addiction that lands them there. Trump may have said some disgusting things but Hilary and Bill have actually done a lot of disgusting things.
Retired (kind of)
8 å¹´Katty nobody should talk about anybody else in a degrading manner male or female. I have coached Women's baseball teams over the years. Trust me Men aren't the only folks on this planet with gutter mouths. But actually, the biggest issue the US has at this moment is the country needs leadership that isn't corrupt, ineffective or part of the last 30 years of bad decisions that have put America 20 trillion dollars in debt. IMHO