“Locker room talk” isn’t an excuse
By Jessica Sierocki, photo editor.
Donald Trump made major headlines with a video that was leaked to the press of his self-proclaimed “locker room talk” featuring Billy Bush. Is that really what is discussed in private between groups of people? I’m sure the answer differs between men and women.
Women talk about men’s looks, clothes, cars, girlfriends and almost anything else you could think of. Yes, when women are in any type of group, a hot topic is talking about men. To deny the fact that we love to gossip about men would be stupid. That being said, I have never heard another woman talk about a man the way Trump talked about women.
I have never heard a woman say she wanted to walk up to a man and grab him inappropriately by his genitals just because they can. Maybe that’s more of a reflection of who I surround myself with. I’m sure it happens, but that doesn’t make it acceptable.
I am conflicted whenever I think about this situation. The conversation between Trump and Bush was not a public conversation. I will be the first to admit that I have had conversations with my friends in private that I would never want anyone else to know about. Trump has the right to say anything he wants just like I do, but that doesn’t mean what is being said is morally acceptable.
Bush is losing his job because of the video that was leaked of Trump and him engaging in their “locker room talk.” Okay, Bush, who was instigating the conversation lost his job for being involved while Trump, the one who made those crude statements, is still allowed to run for president. What?
Here’s where I find this “locker room talk” a problem. I don’t want to hear anyone talking about women or men the way Trump did. There is no excuse for a man or woman in any type of power position to treat people like objects. In fact, it’s pretty scary.
I feel like I’m spinning back in time to the 1960s where the only opinions that matter are rich white men, while minorities and women are struggling for their voices to be heard. I’m just disappointed that this is the first presidential election I can vote in. The options aren’t great and they just seem to keep getting worse. Hopefully, this path of destruction doesn’t make it to the White House.
Leave locker room talk in high school
By Ethan Moore, sports editor.
Donald Trump never seems to be in the news for the right reasons.
Never before have we seen such a polarizing figure run for the office of President. The latest controversy surrounding him involves him making lewd remarks to Billy Bush on a hot mic.
If you think this is bad news for Trump, Bush just agreed to a severance package from NBC to leave the Today show.
His remarks perpetuate rape culture and dehumanize women in a way that’s all too common nowadays. His defense is that it was just “locker room talk,” and that it shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Now you can say that what he said is gross and disgusting and isn’t befitting a president, but is this really what people talk about in locker rooms? Well I can only speak to my own experiences in high school, but yes this is exactly how hormonal teenage boys talk.
I played varsity tennis in high school, so I’ve spent a lot of time in locker rooms talking to my teammates about intelligent topics like politics and issues with classes. But, the conversation wasn’t always so civil, and sometimes it would move into darker waters.
I was single during my first three seasons on the team, and looking back, I said many things that were not only lewd, but disrespectful and rude. At the time, saying all these things felt completely normal because everyone else was saying them and creating an atmosphere that perpetuated these kinds of sexually-inappropriate comments.
After I met my current girlfriend my senior year, and became captain of the team, I started to see how inappropriate the topics of conversation were and how we were essentially turning women into sexual materials for our own entertainment.
So if an 18 year old senior in high school can figure out that “locker room talk” isn’t appropriate, then I would hope the Republican candidate for president would be able to realize this before he’s 59. Trump’s response to his antics lack responsibility and maturity, which are things we just can’t afford to not have in our next commander-in-chief.
