The Trump sexual assault allegations, and why we shouldn't brush them aside

In the days following Donald Trump's election, it's been disheartening to see newscasters and professional talkers of all stripes moderate their formerly passionate criticism of him. "Let's give him a chance!" "He's our president now, and we only have one president at a time!" "He's been acting very presidential since Tuesday. What a wonderfully gracious acceptance speech!" I think the person who deserves an award is President Obama for not pulling Trump's seat out from under him. That's not a metaphor. Women and girls are, every day, at tremendous risk in this world. Rape is not a fluke, but an everyday occurrence worldwide, nationwide, on college campuses, on dates. A woman my age whom I was close to

was date raped. I never talked to her about it, but when she passed away not longer after, I wondered how much it had haunted her. Then in 2005, I met someone at a bar in Brooklyn and only intended to have a drink with him. He told me he was a high school coach, and I figured I'd be done talking to him in time to get home early, but that didn't happen. I told my brother soon afterwards, "I don't know why I was with him." David wanted me to recount what had happened, and I said I'd been led to another bar, apparently, where we met some of his friends and I was given another drink. So I too was date raped. I was also fired after a boss had playfully tweaked my elbows and I'd snapped at him. I was fired the next day. And every day, men size us up and down. Or if they aren't sizing us up, they're chastising us for no longer being worthy of their leers. Donald Trump is going to make all of this OK. He is more than just the lecherous uncle with the wink. He's been accused by over a dozen women of forcing his godawful lips/tongue/what have you on to them. Professionals who were there to interview him or who happened to be sitting next to him on a plane. Women who cry and shake as they recount their ordeals. His response? None of it happened. Barbara Corcoran, whom I've interviewed three times and admire a great deal, said to CNN's Erin Burnett that Trump had commented on her breast size while she was pregnant. She was visiting him for a business meeting. How many women have had this experience in a business meeting? I haven't. If I had, I'd never forget it, and neither has Barbara. By the way, she was the Queen of New York Real Estate before she became a "shark" on Shark Tank. Donald Trump doesn't care who he demeans. He will continue his sick, entitled misogyny in the White House. Just wait for it. And the American people, especially the good men out there who know how to respect women, need to stand up and speak out! Thank you, protestors! I am only glad I don't have a young daughter right now because I honestly don't know how I'd shield her from this madman. Photos: (1) In front of Trump Tower on Fifth Ave., by Laurie Wiegler; (2) By Gage Skidmore - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/25858555481/in/photolist-Fp2RDt-Fy6H5M-Fv98Vo-Fv9cDq-Fv93Pm-EzwkLW-Ewrt8Y-Fp38FZ-Fp3pfp-Fp3aQZ-EzSAXr-F5SySC-F5SwYs-FmL3mA-FxrgZ2-F5Szpu-FmLj8f-EzSTvX-Fv9A5C-EzwuoW-F5SMpw-EzT9gZ-Fv9ses-EzwK3f-F5SHNU-F5SUh9-Fv9z5G-EzwsWC-F5T3bA-F5T13s-Fp47j8-Fv9ZGN-FmLEa9-Fp41GX-Fp3VVn-EzwQcy-Fp44za-FxrKjc-Fv9Xzb-Fp4a3p-FxrGdH-Fj2SF8-Fj8V78-FgRFs9-FqeYps-FqeUZG-EZYoPE-FswM6P-Fj9mUv-FswHCB, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47705735