Did you know that Donald Trump has a sister? And that she's a judge on the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Ronald Reagan and promoted by Bill Clinton? And that she thinks that women who cry sexual harassment are "professional hypochondriacs"?
Meet Maryanne Trump Barry, 78, the subject of a new profile in The New York Times, which among other details includes this speech Barry gave in 1992, calling for law enforcement agents to chill out when it came to sexual harassment.
"Professional hypochondriacs," [Barry] said, were making it hard for "men to be themselves" and were turning "every sexy joke of long ago, every flirtation," into "sexual harassment," thus ruining "any kind of playfulness and banter. Where has the laughter gone?" As for boorish behavior, the best way to disarm it was with "humor and gentle sarcasm," or better yet, that "potent weapon" of "feminine exterior and a will of steel." [The New York Times]
Earlier this month, Donald Trump was roundly criticized for appearing to imply that Fox News host Megyn Kelly had gone after him in the Republican debate because she was menstruating. Trump, who denied the accusation, told the Times that his sister had called to tell him that she was "very proud."
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"She said, 'Just be yourself.' Of course, I don't know if that's good advice, but she said, 'Just be yourself and you'll do well, really well,'" Trump said. Barry herself declined to comment.
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