What do Trump’s cabinet picks have in common? A history of misogyny.
For weeks, Donald Trump has been announcing his appointees for key cabinet and White House positions. While these nominees may be headed to different departments and agencies, many of his picks are united by a common theme: A long, disturbing history of misogyny.
Steve Bannon, Chief Advisor
Donald Trump’s first appointment? Steve Bannon — a well-known misogynist and favorite of the white supremacist movement.
- Bannon ran a website that is openly scornful of the feminist movement and has published articles such as “Does Feminism Make Women Ugly?” and “Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy.”
- His ex-wife has accused him of domestic violence.
- Bannon was accused of sexual harassment. A fellow employee claimed he:
Said she was a “woman in a man’s job” and disparaged female employees.
Openly discussed women’s “boobs,” calling them “titties.”
Held her wrist tightly at a company party and told her “once I’d done it with him, I’d never want to do it with anyone else.”
- He fired a disabled employee who was on maternity leave.
- Bannon once referred to a female colleague as a “bimbo.”
- He also vowed to take comments the same woman made about the safety of a research facility they worked in and “ram it down her f***ing throat.”
Andrew Puzder, Secretary of Labor
Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Labor is a punch to the gut for working people across the country. Puzder is a wealthy businessman who openly rails against raising the minimum wage, expanding eligibility for overtime pay, and paid sick leave. But there’s more:
- Puzder doesn’t just hold misogynist views — he acts on them. In the 1980’s, Puzder tried to overturn Roe v. Wade with a Missouri law — and he almost succeeded.
- Puzder was accused of abusing his wife by throwing plates at her, beating her, and punching her in the throat.
- He’s the CEO of Carl’s Jr. and Hardees, brands known for their offensive ads which objectify women by showing them eating burgers in bikinis and lingerie.
- His take on Carl’s Jr.’s ads? “I like our ads. I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it’s very American. I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality.”
- He’s said the ads are meant for “young hungry guys,” telling a female reporter, “I’m 64, I want to be a young hungry guy. Some young ladies in your age group like to date young hungry guys.”
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Attorney General
Trump’s pick to become Attorney General is a man who was once deemed “too racist” by a GOP-led Congress to become a federal judge. And that’s just the beginning:
- Sessions has repeatedly given a pass to those who commit acts of violence against abortion clinics.
- He voted to pass an unconstitutional abortion ban and to defund Planned Parenthood.
- Sessions doesn’t take sexual assault seriously — when Trump said he could “grab women by the p**sy,” Sessions claimed it wasn’t sexual assault.
- Voted against equal pay for women in the workplace.
- Opposes reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, which funds shelters and services for victims of domestic violence.
Rep. Mike Pompeo, CIA Director
Trump’s choice to lead the CIA once had to personally apologize for a tweet his campaign sent out promoting an article that called his opponent — an Indian-American — a “turban topper” who could be “a muslim, a hindy, a buddhist etc who knows.” As if that wasn’t offensive enough:
- Pompeo voted against the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act.
- He has consistently made anti-choice votes in Congress, voting for an abortion ban and against funding for Planned Parenthood and Title X funding.
- Pompeo also voted to allow your boss to interfere in your reproductive health decisions, in the name of “religious liberty.”
Rep. Tom Price, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Trump’s favorite to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is a well-known anti-choice extremist. Rep. Price wants to block grant Medicaid — a move that would disproportionately hurt the health of women, particularly poor and minority women, since Medicaid is their primary source of health care.
- Price wants to get rid of the contraceptive coverage guaranteed in the Affordable Care Act, saying “Bring me one woman who [can’t afford birth control] … Bring me one. There’s not one.” (Actually, there are many — a truth activist Renee Bracey Sherman explains here.)
- He consistently voted for anti-choice laws, including an abortion ban and for defunding Planned Parenthood and Title X.
- He’s against ensuring equal pay for women and voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
- Price wants bosses to have a say in our birth control coverage.
- He voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
