OPINION:
During the election and after the inauguration of President Trump we’ve been swamped with vile, sanctimonious lectures from the smug smart set, a privileged class of superrich celebrities, actors, television comedians and music performers.
We’ve had screeds from Meryl Streep, Madonna and Ashley Judd. Robert De Niro assured us earlier in the month that he still wants to punch Mr. Trump in the face. Lena Dunham continues to whine, Susan Sarandon and Cher remain bereft for the nation, and want us to know how horrible they feel. Because it’s their feelings that matter.
The most revealing aspect of the continuing liberal meltdown is how anti-woman the so-called feminist movement has really become. Instead of reflecting on how and why the Democratic Party has been reduced to a coastal club, liberals (all of whom are feminists, of course) decided attacking the president’s daughter would be a really good idea.
Their first line of attack: threaten retail stores that carried the Ivanka Trump product line with a boycott if they continued to sell her products. This, of course, does nothing to promote what the left says they care about, but it does expose what they really are: a gang of vapid and petty bullies, drunk on the vindictiveness that now drives the American liberal political machine.
So what’s at the core of the feminist Democrats, liberals and leftist machines targeting the daughter of the president? Because she, by her existence, counteracts their only argument against her father — that he’s Hitler. And not just any Hitler, an especially bad woman-hating, fascist, evil Hitler.
Ivanka Trump’s style and grace, and her likely moderate politics, put the lie to the liberal arguments against her father, which amount to the most juvenile of character assassinations. Moreover, someone like Ivanka Trump should be on their side, but she’s not. That upsets them because instead of Ivanka, they get Rosie, Ashley “Nasty Woman” Judd and, well, Hillary Clinton.
And then there’s Melania Trump, the nation’s first lady. A remarkable woman whose own story is one a genuine feminist movement would celebrate. An immigrant, having become an American citizen just a decade ago, is now the first lady of her adopted country, and one of the most powerful women in the world when it comes to influence and access. Hers is a story only possible in America.
It’s one thing for her husband to be attacked as he decided to enter the political arena, but Mrs. Trump has obviously became and remained a target of the so-called feminist liberal establishment and the Democratic Party. And with what did they attack her? With the accusation that she’s a prostitute.
Not entirely surprising considering the Democrats are the party of the Kennedys and the Clintons (and the occasional Weiner). The left’s cup of misogyny is so full it’s bound to overflow onto everyone else.
And it did. Politico reports, “Editors at The New York Times have reprimanded a reporter for referring to first lady Melania Trump as a ’hooker’ at an event Sunday night, calling the remarks ’completely inappropriate.’ The reporter in question, features writer Jacob Bernstein, came under fire Monday morning after supermodel Emily Ratajkowski made the reporter’s remarks public in a series of tweets. Ms. Ratajkowski, who said the reporter made the remarks while sitting next to her at a New York Fashion Week event, called the comment ’disgusting sexist bull—-t.’ “
Lovely, no? Still The New York Times, in their admonition, referred to his remark as a comment on an “unfounded rumor.” Really? When did lies become unfounded rumors? The reporter eventually apologized on Twitter.
Liberal feminists have either been silent about Mrs. Trump or have attacked her. In this case we saw the feminism of the young woman who was subjected to the remark publicly expose the reporter while defending Mrs. Trump.
The first lady, in the meantime, stepped up and thanked the woman on Twitter: “Applause to all women around the world who speak up, stand up and support other women! @emrata #PowerOfEveryWoman#PowerOfTheFirstLady.”
It’s never been more clear, the attacks on the Trump women have nothing to do with feminism and everything to do with jealousy and envy.
Through all of this, liberal feminists refuse to admit that they stand for nothing, and now participate in the marginalizing of women with whom they disagree. The good news is a young woman in the decidedly liberal world of fashion and Hollywood knew to step up, at what will be considerable risk to herself.
Speaking of women who take risks and, no, I’m not referring to Meryl Streep or other Hollywood women who parrot the accepted party line while at awards shows. Meet Joy Villa, the singer and actress who wore the “Make America Great Again” gown to the music industry’s Grammy Awards. Spouting the party line does not take courage. Wearing a dress to the Grammys that expresses your support for the president when he is loathed by most at the party, is speaking truth, her truth, to power.
That’s courage and feminism in action.
An added element that enrages the liberal establishment? Ms. Villa’s dress was designed by a gay fashion designer Andre Soriano.
As the old liberal feminist establishment continues their plunge into irrelevance, smearing women they deem the enemy, the future belongs to people like Ivanka Trump, Melania Trump, Emily Ratajkowski, Joy Villa, Andre Soriano, and their friends and supporters. These radical nonconformists are the authentic feminists, the genuine heroes, and bravely free individuals.
• Tammy Bruce, author and Fox News contributor, is a radio talk show host.
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