Donald Trump has always had a tough time when it comes to women. In 1997, a makeup artist filed a lawsuit against Trump, alleging he forced her into one of his children's bedrooms and groped her. And in an April Gallup report, it was reported that 70% of women viewed him unfavorably. This weekend, things have gotten way, way worse for Trump and the female vote.
A video surfaced on Friday of Trump making lewd sexual comments to Access Hollywood host, Billy Bush in between taping a segment. An actress from the soap opera is standing outside waiting for the two gentlemen, who are pulling up on a bus. When Trump spots the actress he begins plotting lewd sexual advances on her and says to Bush, "And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything."
The comments get worst. Trump goes on to talk about his aggressive methods for hitting on women, saying, "You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait."
Later in the video, Billy repeatedly asks the soap actresses if she would chose to take him or Trump home-- despite the actresses' clear face of discomfort and choosing to "plead the fifth".
To combat Trump's comments, women all over the internet have taken to sharing their own experiences of sexual harassment and rape.
Women: tweet me your first assaults. they aren't just stats. I'll go first:
Old man on city bus grabs my "pussy" and smiles at me, I'm 12.
— kelly oxford (@kellyoxford) October 7, 2016
@kellyoxford 1st I can recall: 14 & man at the pub library tried to look up my uniform skirt from the bottom bookshelf w/a mirror. #notokay
— A (dot) Ham (@coolbreeeze_) October 7, 2016
In addition, a large number of republicans, many of them women, have rescinded their support for Trump and called on him to drop out of the race.
It is interesting to see how Trump responds to this crisis during tomorrow's debate against Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who holds a large favorability rating among female voters.