Dear Donald Trump: If You Actually Had ‘More Respect For Women Than Anyone’ You’d Do These 12 Things

1. You would treat every woman you know like your equal, because that’s exactly what she is.

2. You would realize that a woman’s worth has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with her looks, her weight, her style, and anything else related to her physical appearance.

3. And not only would you realize this, but you would act like it. Your actions toward women – your respect towards them, your behavior towards them, your words towards them – would reflect the fact that you understand that their worth and their dignity are not derived from their looks.

4. You would know that words you’ve used in the past to describe women, including fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals are never and should never be acceptable in any capacity whatsoever.

5. You would remember, every time you speak, that millions of young women around the country and around the world are hearing your words, hearing how other people react to them and what other people think is okay when it comes to how women are treated.

6. And you would remember, every time you speak, that millions of young men around the country and around the world are also hearing your words, and are learning what you think is apparently an acceptable way to speak to, and treat, women.

7. You would understand that ‘locker room talk’ is not normal, is not okay, and is not excusable.

8. You would understand that your version of ‘locker room talk’ perpetuates rape culture, and that it’s so much more harmful than you’ve been currently playing it off to be.

9. You would understand that a woman is meant to stand next to you, not behind you.

10. You would speak to your current political opponent only about her decisions and her actions, instead of constantly bringing up past actions and mistakes made by her husband. You would remember that she is the one running for president, not him.

11. And during your debates with her, you would refrain from interrupting her – dozens and dozens of times – the same way she shows you respect by not interrupting you.  

12. You would understand that women are not here on this earth for YOU. They are not here for your entertainment, they are not here for you to look at, they are not here for your sexual pleasure, they are not here to stand next to you as a pretty ornament, they are not here to be a side character in your story. Women are their own protagonists, they are their own bosses, and they have dignity and worth regardless of what you think of them. And if you were smart, you’d realize that you need women a hell of a lot more than they need you.