Is Melania Meat?
It’s been exactly one month since the night we found out the 2016 presidential election results. One month of having to live with uncertainty about future policies and what they will mean for our lives, because Donald J. Trump and his campaign of oppression won. “I am saying loud and clear that I am not okay with the presidential results.” It pains me to see that so many of our country’s citizens feel the need to once again fight for their rights to be treated as a human. This is the kind of stuff my generation grew up reading about in history books, thinking we were way past it. We were taught to believe that the world is what we would make of it from here on out, our gender — along with our sexuality or race for that matter — had nothing to do with it. We were taught that society wasn’t as scary as it used to be, sure we’d have problems along the way but nothing as bad as what our ancestors had to deal with.
We like to think that people hating or protesting the President-elect is common of every election that has ever been held in the U.S., and that eventually the crowds will die down. After all, it’s been one month — that’s long enough for us to get over it right? I think the question we should be asking is should we get over it? I agree with Mireya Duarte, this isn’t something one just easily “gets over.” Donald Trump, a man who based his campaign on demonizing the differences in us all, is now next in line to hold the title — President of the United States. He will be the poster child the rest of the world sees of the United States for the next four years! A man who casually threw around the phrase “grab her by the pussy” and then later brushed off our concern by labeling it as “locker room talk.” The age old “boys will be boys” excuse. Trump has a history of such comments — like the video shows — and neither him nor his supporters had a problem with it.
Now I’m not saying that every last one of Trump’s supporters were in favor of degrading women, there could have been various reasons — none of which I can see — to support the man. What is frightening to me is the fact that the degradation of women, throughout his lifetime and campaign trail, wasn’t a big enough issue to overlook him as a prime presidential candidate. After his win, the big question on my mind was — how long before Trump starts to make his changes?
One month. Today Trump announced that his new Secretary of Labor will be Andrew F. Puzder — that’s right ladies and gentlemen, the CEO of Carl’s Jr. The man who continues the sexualization of fast food — America’s pride and joy. Let’s take a look at some of the moments Puzder approved to be the face of his company, starting with the latest:
and let’s not forget
If we pay close attention to the first commercial the ending states “yeah, yeah I know what you’re thinking but c’mon it’s called a bacon 3 way burger. what did you expect?”
WHAT DID I EXPECT? How about not hearing you,a white woman on television, shrug off the respect I deserve as woman. Shrugging off the fact that I have a right to be angry.
I have a right to be angry at how the media portrays women, and how apparently, the “new” America supports it by appointing one of the biggest culprits of objectification a position in office. How are we supposed to move forward and strive towards equality — or beyond it for that matter — when our system is regressing in time.
The fight against objectification has long been on the agenda of feminism. We shouldn’t feel that men have the right to decide what defines us as human beings.
Women have been tired of being seen as nothing more than man’s play thing and these commercials don’t help our point. Our point is to be independent beings that can coexist in a state of being that surpasses equality. Having a blue eyed, flowing blonde haired model asking me “what did I expect?” shows that women are also to blame for this objectification. We take jobs that push the patriarchal agenda, setting the example for generations to come. The media is such an accessible outlet, that anyone now has it at their fingertips; if this is the type of acceptable marketing our girls grow up watching, how can we expect them to want to strive for something more. It won’t be easy and it will take time but we need to come together.
We need to listen to the cries of the protesters.
We need to make ourselves a part of that cry — be it through writing, speeches or even minor changes in our personal lifestyles.
Our nation doesn’t have to go back to the times in which it was ok to belittle each other based on gender differences. It is 2016, and one month from now Trump will be sworn in as president. The question is, will you sit back and let it take it’s course or will you stand alongside the oppressed and fight in order to make America Great Again?
