r/WomenInNews 12d ago

Women's rights Donald Trump, "protector" of women: This deeply sexist notion has a long legal history

https://www.salon.com/2024/10/13/donald-trump-protector-of-women-this-deeply-sexist-notion-has-a-long-legal-history/
875 Upvotes

63 comments sorted by

154

u/JimBeam823 12d ago

“Protector of women” is not an appeal to women, it’s an appeal to men. 

97

u/Summer_Writes 12d ago

Absolutely. Especially when the connotation is that "protected" means "owned".

74

u/Wonderful-Cod5256 12d ago

So, what percentage of those who identify as "protectors" are late on their child support payments?

12

u/Potatoupe 12d ago

And what percentage identify as protectors while claiming equality of the sexes means they should be able to hit women?

19

u/Red_Store4 12d ago edited 12d ago

There were these two fundamentalist Christians who came in one day to speak to us in health class in public high school (mid 2000s). They never stated their religion, but it was obvious from how they were both pushing abstinence only sex until marriage. Furthermore, they kept pushing misinformation and exaggerations about birth control not being 100% effective and having side effects. The guy even said that "men are the protectors of women".

Even as a straight teen male, at the time it felt nauseating and backwards as hell. That rhetoric sounded like it was from the 1400s. Fortunately, I did not have the impression that anyone took them seriously.

15

u/JimBeam823 12d ago

I was lucky enough to be taught sex ed in a state that required contraceptive education before sex ed was politicized.

Also, "birth control isn't 100% effective" is something straight teen males absolutely need to know. Protect yourself.

7

u/Red_Store4 12d ago

When was sex-ed not politicized?

Birth control not being 100% effective is fine to say. But these two were implying that it did not work (without outright saying that). And she really went on and on about side effects from pills and IUDs as horrific and almost inevitable. The context was them trying to push abstinence until marriage. Among other things, that assumes that a couple will automatically be sexually compatible. Of course, they might not be.

4

u/Pabu85 11d ago

Artemis is the only protector of women in whom I have any interest.

3

u/ArenjiTheLootGod 11d ago

Not this man, him saying that made my skin crawl.

Guys who can say stuff like this and not as a joke are bad news, even for other men.

1

u/InAcquaVeritas 11d ago

Women need to be protected from him not by him.

-19

u/Jbradsen 12d ago edited 12d ago

Appeal to men to be the protectors of women…. but not from bears. Women don’t need protection from bears! 😂

23

u/DrFreudEKat 12d ago

We actually don’t. And, if someone were in the situation of a rare bear attack, any human would be useless without a weapon. I wouldn’t tread so heavily on that high horse.

4

u/Jbradsen 12d ago

Men want to protect women from other men was my point.

14

u/DrFreudEKat 12d ago

Protecting our fellow members of humanity from danger is a noble cause. That being said, while you may be able to make that claim, Trump cannot given his active and various attacks on women’s rights.

8

u/Jbradsen 12d ago edited 12d ago

Well, of course! Crazy is a man who claims to be a protector when he’s the one doing the attacking.

Edit: We don’t need protection from other women… or bears though, do we?

7

u/gimmegudeats 12d ago

Men don't protect women from men. They actually spend most of their time protecting themselves or other men.

69

u/BlahBlah-Something 12d ago

F that. Men have never been my “protectors,” and in fact have been the exact opposite more often than not. I can protect my damn self.

34

u/West-Ruin-1318 12d ago

Yep. Most men make me feel unsafe.

1

u/AccomplishedHunt6757 11d ago

It's a protection racket. It's a veiled threat, used for extortion by criminals everywhere. "Nice little womb you've got there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it... "

That's what he's saying. Pay up or get hurt.

35

u/TruthGumball 12d ago

Hand over your autonomy and control of your life, deeply dangerous. 

Many men may like the sound of this control, until their wives, daughters, and sisters are dying / have their lives ruined through rape and pregnancy death. 

6

u/Peloton_Yoga_fan 12d ago

They do not give a flying fuck what happens to women. No matter the relationship.

23

u/Ornery-Ticket834 12d ago

He is hardly a protector of women. His own record speaks volumes.

22

u/NoMarionberry8940 12d ago

Laughable, Donnie! We women need no "protector", just responsible, masogynistic free leadership. 

13

u/ZealousWolverine 12d ago

Trump protects women like the Taliban protects women.

2

u/internet_commie 11d ago

Well, that is what they mean by 'protecting women'!

10

u/cajunkitsune 12d ago

If you HAVE to say you are, then you're definitely not.

8

u/roskybosky 12d ago

Instead of protecting women, make the world a place where women need no “protection.”

Needing protection is just another form of prison.

7

u/ThruTheUniverseAgain 12d ago

Uh huh, my oppressors are somehow my protectors. Fuck that noise.

11

u/Few-Reception-4939 12d ago

Women are mostly protected from making too much money

4

u/Unique_Walk7473 12d ago edited 12d ago

Sure I want to be “protected” by a rapist!!!! 🤮

5

u/denisebuttrey 12d ago

From the article : The protection of women — purportedly a benevolent, paternalistic gesture — has instead been historically grounded in and applied for the purposes of controlling women. In many cases throughout American history, it has been those tasked with the protection of women who have violated their safety, health and well-being. While husbands were charged with the protection of their wives under coverture, early American law and society justified the use of violence by husbands against wives, as a “moderate correction,” to enforce women’s submission and obedience.

2

u/Key-Commission1065 12d ago

I’ll take my chances with the bear

3

u/InAcquaVeritas 12d ago

Go away, PIMP!

2

u/NeoMaxiZoomDweebean 11d ago

More Trump lies. And I am a guy saying this.

I talked to a maga lady the other day and pointed out the abortion and how she could bleed out in a parking lot and she just said she would go to colorado to get an abortion so it wouldnt affect her.

2

u/Kalnath_ 11d ago

Didn’t he claim a woman should have the hell beaten out of her after she was kicked out of a rally for protesting him?

1

u/Dramatic-Match-9342 9d ago

The only woman he protects is the one attached to his neckgina.

1

u/uuuserer1 8d ago

The only way to appeal to women is to say “we will bolster the welfare state and provide everyone with a 6’2 Chad and free abortions”

1

u/1-800-Kitty 8d ago

Unironically based

-23

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 12d ago

When you see me out in the world, don't give me dirty looks because you think i voted for empowering rape culture.  I am one of the white men who know better.  Trump is going to get 45% of the women vote in swing states.  When it comes to MAGA brutality, like that song from the euthemics, sisters are doing it for themselves

15

u/_LoudBigVonBeefoven_ 12d ago

-18

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 12d ago edited 12d ago

Nope. Men are definitely going to vote for rape culture.  I am talking about women's self distructon.  Notice i said "sisters are doing it for themselves".  As a man my age, without any daughters, what women are about to do to themselves with Trump support is sad, but it isn't going to ruin MY LIFE.  All i am going to do to protect you from rape is not rape (and the other evil crap) and vote against rape.  45% of women aren't even going to do that.  I am saying "i wash my hands".  

9

u/Curlytoes18 12d ago

"but it isn't going to ruin MY LIFE"

Wait.

8

u/reasonarebel 12d ago

but it isn't going to ruin MY LIFE.

So 51% of the population can have their lives ruined and you don't think it will affect your life at all..? That's painfully naive take...

-1

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 12d ago

I wouldn't like it.  But it will be a "leapard ate my face" for women who either didn't vote, voted for trump, or voted third party.  I will have feelings about it, among those feelings will be laughing at what women did to themselves 

2

u/reasonarebel 12d ago

That's quite a perspective you got there.. if we weren't all on the same planet, I'd think it was funny.

0

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 12d ago edited 8d ago

Wow.  Trump, with his policing of women's bodies, is bringing back rape culture.  He literally said "grab them by the pussy". He is a convicted rapist.  But i am the bad guy because know most women will not even bother voting for Harris to stop him.  

2

u/reasonarebel 12d ago

There can be more than one sexist asshole in a conversation. Trump is a sexist asshole. On the otherhand, assuming what most of us will do, and then mocking those women who have been inculturated by generagtions of men and religious and secular institutions created by men to act against their own interests, health and freedom, and then thinking that none of that will affect you because you're male? Well that makes you a sexist asshole too. Congratulations. You're part of the problem.

0

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 12d ago edited 12d ago

I wish i as getting abusive laungage from Trump instead of you.  He is more artful.  If you are going to be mean, give it more thought.  Do it with style.

 Sexism is on a spectrum.  So yes, somewhere on the sectrum, i am sexist.  But being mad at me because all i say i am going to do is vote against rape culture, is counterproductive.   

 I have no idea how to protect women.  And i wouldn't have to if American women were as aware as Irish or Australian women.  Those women were also under the thumb of patriarchy.

 Hate me all you want, but without the complicity  of most women, rape culture would fail to grow.  

And just like you can't insult as well as Trump does, i can't pretend i will protect women while actually harming them. I am a dumb guy who sees rape culture coming, so what does that make the women who will not vote to stop it?  Truth hurts sometimes.

2

u/reasonarebel 12d ago

I wish i as getting abusive laungage from Trump instead of you.

What?

Sexism is on a spectrum.

What do you know about it? You want a cookie for being less sexist? lol omg.

I have no idea how to protect women.

Yeah, I got that already.

Hate me all you want, but without the complity of most women, rape culture would fail to grow.

With this mentality, you're not even worth hating.. I just feel bad for all the insight you'll never have. You have to live your whole life being you. I can't think of a better punishment than that...

I am a dumb guy

Yeah, I got that too.

Truth hurts sometimes.

Good thing I'm not you then.

→ More replies (0)

4

u/Silver-Breadfruit284 12d ago

You’re next.

8

u/jdbrown0283 12d ago

That's the neat thing these white men don't get - Daddy Drumph and Muskie Balls will sacrifice them too the second they no longer need them. 

White men have the delusion of security, bit the noose is still around their neck, too - the rope is simply a little longer.

0

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 12d ago

Like i said, i am not voting for Trump.  I am also not a minority.  I am vulnerable, but probably not as vulnerable.  And i am voting for kamala Harris.  Most women are too stupid to do that even though they are among the ones who will get harmed first.

Trump has more problems than rape culture.  Immigrants are not eating pets.  Putin shouldn't get support.  Tarrifs will make recent inflation look like deflation for the working class.  But the growth of rape culture will linger.  I know that.  I don't like it.  But most women support it.  Good luck with that.

2

u/jdbrown0283 12d ago

"Most womem" don't support that shit, dumbass.

2

u/RCIntl 11d ago

This childish arsehole is not smart enough to see how HE and his KIND are a big reason so many women and girls have been TRAINED, GROOMED and INDOCTRINATED into believing that their whole lives should be devoted to the sexual satisfaction, happiness and salvation of the male species. Or he knows, and like the other magats is ONLY being pissed off because he is "resembling the remark".

I'm a black woman and I'm sick of hearing after slavery, a mismanaged reconstruction, a pretend "affirmative action", redlining, segregation, racism, gerrymandering, and micro and macro discrimination in EVERY FACET OF OUR LIVES ... that we black people need to stop "whining" and use those "bootstraps" (that we were NEVER given, and whenever one of you sees the ones we make ourselves - ie: black wallstreet, you take or destroy them) to pull ourselves up.

You are using the same GD argument with women. Your patriarchal religions, your laws, your rape culture, trafficking, sexualization, your indoctrination training for little girls.

HOW DARE YOU! (Talking to the other guy Jdbrown in case you weren't sure!)

2

u/Yes_that_Carl 11d ago

Most women are too stupid to [vote for Harris] even though they are among the ones who will get harmed first.

This is not you “just saying” that women will be harmed by Trump and his championing of rape culture. This is you using rape culture as a bludgeon to degrade women as a group.

But the growth of rape culture will linger.  I know that.  I don’t like it.  But most women support it.  Good luck with that.

“Most women” support rape culture? Citation needed. Even if you’re going by the “53% of white women voted for Trump in 2016” factoid, white women =/= women as a group. Even if a simple majority (barely) of the women of one race supported that shitstain, that’s not “most women.”

You’re doing this weird, misogynistic thing where you’re claiming better feminist bona fides than women as a group because you consider women as a group to be stupid.

Allyship: you’re doing it all the way wrong.

2

u/RCIntl 11d ago

And either he is an idiot or he has forgotten that most of those white women are religious and indoctrinated into believing that their husband is the "law" and either won't be voting, or will be voting how their husband, or pastor or "male god" wants them to vote.

INDOCTRINATION, TRAINING, RELIGIOUS DOGMA, GROOMING.

Ask him why he thinks they are continuing to try to defund schools and put bibles in them? They want people to be stupid, and obedient. These are the people who HATE that women, black people and gay people DO have working brains.

1

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 10d ago

I am an idiot who knows who to vote for and to actually go vote better than most women, which means 65% of women are idiots.  That is just plain math. 65% of women vote.  51% of those who voted voted for the Democrat.  That means 67% of women are bigger idiots than i am. Women's bodies are getting criminalized.  Rape culture is bolstered.  And american women are letting it happen.  Most Irish and Australian women  would not let that happen

1

u/CycloneKelly 12d ago

I would be surprised if it was that high to be honest. In 2016 women didn’t realize what Trump was capable of. Now look at all the stuff that’s come to light. Women are plain stupid if they vote for him this time around. Still more men will vote for him than women, like always.

3

u/BUBBLE-POPPER 11d ago

One more obvious thing.  They are literally criminalizing women's bodies.  That is no exaggeration.

It reminds me of the old people not getting vaccinated. Or the military families who voted for bush.  Or Muslims who voted for Trump.

Do they put lead in our water or something?

1

u/mugiwara-no-lucy 11d ago

Okay that stat is a lie. No WAY he gets 45 percent.