Dear Mr. Trump,
You don’t know me, but I know you. Even though you and I have never met in person, I know you. Most women “know” you. They know what it’s like to be groped by you on a subway, in a hallway, at a bar, or even in your own home with your wife in the next room. Most women have been whistled at, pawed at, ogled at, or leered at by “you.” Women have been fighting the likes of you and the “locker room talk” boys our entire lives.
You’re the man who leers at women on the street. You’re the guy who makes tasteless, caustic comments about women’s “tits” and laughs at the women who bristle when you do. You’re that guy who thinks every woman in the world wants to f**k him and brazenly brags about his “conquests.” You’re the guy who believes any woman should feel lucky to be in your presence. You believe that your money, fame, and influence entitles you to do whatever you want, whenever you want and to whomever you want.
The arrogance of your type is shocking. You believe that when a woman pulls away from you or doesn’t give you the time of day, she must be a bitch, frigid, or a nut case. You have learned to have disdain for women from a young age and—no matter how you try to hide it—it’s in your bones. Your contempt oozes out with each grope, assault, and demeaning comment. You surround yourself with other “locker-room” types so you can get laughs from your audience for your demeaning comments, cheers for your caustic assaults, and cover for your back no matter how atrocious your actions. You wield your power and money like a sword, threatening the very lives of those who dare to challenge you, let alone charge you.
Donald Trump, I and countless other women know you. We have spent our lives trying to ignore you, escape you, protect ourselves from you, and even give in to you to save ourselves from your viciousness. Do not delude yourself into thinking that most women in our nation don’t see right through you. Don’t convince yourself that we believe your denials. The clear-sighted women in our world are not fooled by your money, fame, twisted lies, contorted accusations, and nonsensical counter-attacks. We see through you. We know you. We have lived with you our entire lives.
And Donald, in those quiet moments when you lay your head down and, with a smile, laugh at the stupidity of all the people you think you’ve fooled—don’t kid yourself into thinking that, because you defend your behaviors, we believe you didn’t do them. The truth is that we have no doubt you did the actions you’ve been accused of—and more. We also know, however, that you—and others like you—are not man enough to admit them. We’ve seen the likes of you all too often. Your arrogance allows you to convince yourself that you have the world fooled; our intelligence knows you don’t.
Sincerely,
One of the many wise, powerful women of the world