Women sticking with Trump make excuses for vulgar tape: Just 'a man being a man'


Donald Trump has a long history of making insulting, objectifying, and sometimes threatening comments about women, which is likely part of why his numbers with that particular half of the population are exceptionally terrible — a recent PRRI/Atlantic poll showed Clinton up 33 points on Trump with female voters.
But not all women think that Trump's recently released tape, in which he vulgarly brags about groping women, is something to be concerned about. As CNN found in an interview with a group of Trump-supporting women voters, quite a few simply see the tape as "a man being a man in a men's world talking to men."
"The word is a little derogatory," Trump supporter Amy Hillock admitted. "I wish, if he had said it, he had said it a different way. But you know what, he wasn't saying it to females. He was saying it to men."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I would be offended if a man said that in my presence," agreed another supporter, Michelle Werntz. "I do find the words offensive. But that's locker room talk. That's the boy's club."
And yet another said, "Of course it bothers me. But is it going to make me lean toward Hillary Clinton? Absolutely not." Watch what the group as to say in Trump's defense, below. Jeva Lange
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revolt
Speed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich thrower
Speed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodus
Speed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda