Donald Trump received considerable backlash after his comments on grabbing women “by the pussy” resurfaced from a video that was leaked on Friday.
The Republican nominee’s use of the word “pussy” inspired one of the strongest reactions, with women expressing their outrage online and creating posters, T-shirts and a song hammering home the message that the #PussyGrabsBack on election day.
In a 2005 hot mic conversation with TV host Billy Bush, Trump said he tried to seduce a married woman and that he starts kissing beautiful women when he sees them without consent. “It’s like a magnet. You just kiss. I don’t even wait,” he said in tapes obtained by the Washington Post.
“When you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything,” Trump said.
In response, some Republicans withdrew their support for the presidential nominee. Athletes fought back against Trump’s defense that the remarks were common “locker room” banter. Women powerfully responded by speaking out about their sexual assaults. Hillary Clinton called the remarks “horrific”. “We cannot allow this man to become president,” she tweeted.
“Pussy Grabs Back” became a popular hashtag on Twitter. Actor America Ferrera used it to share an all blue map by FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver, showing what the electoral college would look like if women refused to vote for Trump.
This. #pussygrabsback https://t.co/ETw2qsHgTE
— America Ferrera (@AmericaFerrera) October 9, 2016
Some shared images of the Trump campaign’s famous red hats, instead with the phrase “Grab em by the pussy” in white embroidery. The “Don’t Tread On Me” flag from the American Revolutionary War and the Obama “Hope” image were also adapted for the cause.
Found my spirit animal via @marincogan's Sunday newsletter pic.twitter.com/GBIxAabAfd
— Lucia Graves (@lucia_graves) October 9, 2016
Here you go, America: pic.twitter.com/Wuhxgulek5
— Amy Dickinson (@AskingAmy) October 8, 2016
Jessica Bennett, author of Feminist Fight Club, turned the phrase into a widely shared image with a cat in mid-snarl, crediting Amanda Duarte with the sentiment. Bennett, Duarte and Stella Marrs, who created the original image of the cat, and Female Collective, a feminist brand and online community, have turned the image into a T-shirt. Proceeds from sales will also be donated to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (Rainn).
“Here’s to smashing patriarchy, respecting women’s bodies, pussy power, and the end of the road for Donald Trump.... and the party he rode in on,” the description of the T-shirt reads.
Nov. 8: PUSSY GRABS BACK
— Jessica Bennett (@jess7bennett) October 8, 2016
Thank you, @duarteamanda #feministfightclub #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/QavxzBQLji
The musician Kim Boekbinder created a song called Pussy Grabs Back, available for free or pay-what-you-want download, with some proceeds going to Rainn. “We’re not daughters, not wives / We’re humans, with lives / On November 8th, we’re gonna rock it,” the song goes. It samples the the tape of Trump and Bush talking.
Discussing her creation on Twitter, Boekbinder described the song as “pure rage”. She wrote that she had created the song over 27 hours and the weekend had been triggering for her as a survivor of sexual assault.