How Trump Accidentally Fueled a Feminist Movement on Social Media
Amber Gordon was lying in bed with menstrual cramps on Saturday morning when she came across the Trump quote that drew outrage around the country. Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, he said, had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.” While Trump has since denied that the comment had anything to do with menstruation, Gordon, like many others, saw it as a clear attack on Kelly’s gender, intended to shame her for her human biology.
Some women around the world don't have supplies for when they're on their Trump. Donate here: http://t.co/grOcoXXcVo
#periodsarenotaninsult
— Robby/FatGirlvsWorld (@FatGirlvsWorld) August 11, 2015
uterus-having ppl already experience the pain/discomfort of menstruation. we don't need to be shamed/insulted 4 it. #periodsarenotaninsult
— ur mom (@jvliadenise) August 10, 2015
The U.S. should be an advocate for global women's rights but @realDonaldTrump is uncomfortable about female biology #periodsarenotaninsult
— Cora Kilgour (@corajane6) August 11, 2015
@realDonaldTrump thought you should know I'm on my period. Whoa, and still completely myself and functioning. #periodsarenotaninsult
— Mallory C. Brown (@MalloryCBrown) August 8, 2015
Why we need feminism: because #periodsarenotaninsult should NOT be trending and men should not degrade a woman's natural bodily functions
— Maria Pitsoulakis (@mariaaapits) August 11, 2015
“The whole purpose of the page is to be super inclusive and let anyone participate, because I’m really pro people, not gendering periods,” Gordon said, suggesting that periods aren’t just a women’s issue. As the project has evolved, she’s begun soliciting stories from people who have received insulting comments like “You must be on your period” to show that these kinds of stereotypes are far more common than Trump might let on.
The Republican presidential candidate did some damage control over the weekend after coming under fire for his remarks about Kelly at the Republican primary debate. “I’m very much into the whole thing of helping people and helping women. Women’s health issues are such a big thing to me,” he said on CBS’ Face the Nation. The comment raised eyebrows coming from a man who recently characterized breast-feeding as “disgusting” and referred to Planned Parenthood as an “abortion factory.”
But Gordon sees a silver lining in Trump’s polarizing remarks. “He sparked this whole thing, which is hilarious, and I want to thank him for letting us have a conversation about periods on social media,” she said. She hopes Trump and Kelly are just the starting point for a broader discussion about the social stigmas associated with menstruation. “I’m really hoping that it can transcend him and that people can use this hashtag to reconnect. With any issue, the more we talk about it, the less awkward people will feel [in] public about it.”