Donald Trump, the GOP's Presidential Nominee, claims that women love him, yet he hasn't the slightest idea how to treat women, and that's putting it very mildly.
When Herr Drumpf took over the Miss Universe Pageant, the first winner of the Trump Era put on some weight after earning her crown. Anyone with the sense gawd gave a tick knows that most females, from pre-teen through the twilight years, are sensitive about her body image. This is most definitely a 'First World' problem, but an emotionally scarring issue nonetheless. Body image, especially in women, requires the utmost discretion and consideration for the preservation of her self-esteem. Consequences of developing eating disorders has resulted in serious health issues and many times, women have died from eating disorders.
So what's the last thing a member of the 'fairer sex' wants to hear from the Talking Yam? It definitely did not include being publicly called 'Miss Piggy' and fat-shamed in the most humiliating manner.
A pathological narcissist like Donald Trump is utterly devoid of normal empathy or compassion (for everyone but himself), therefore, he couldn't realize or care that this might offend a few women, men....pretty much everyone? Here's the scoop:
Venezuela native Alicia Machado won the Miss Universe contest in 1996, the same year Donald Trump took over the pageant. But following her victory, she put on weight, leading some to speculate that she’d be stripped of her title (your regular reminder that pageants are gross). But she says it was Trump’s appalling behavior after her weight gain that affected her mental health and caused her to suffer from years of disordered eating.
It somehow gets worse: Trump also called her an “eating machine” on the "Howard Stern" show, and told reporters, “She weighed 118 pounds or 117 pounds and she went to 160 or 170. So this is somebody that likes to eat.” The last bit was punctuated with a trademark Trump smirk, of course.
Machado, painfully aware of the weight gain, was determined to begin a new regimen of healthy eating and exercise. When a woman is self-conscious about her body, scrutiny of any kind can be psychologically damaging. Infinitely worse, Donald exploited this tough time for Machado for his own publicity. In the most tactless stunt imaginable, Drumpf turned her first trip to the gym into a media circus. She sadly recalls the event:
They took me to New York, installed me in a hotel. The next day, they took me to the gym, and I’m exposed to 90 media outlets. Donald Trump was there. I had no idea that would happen.
I was about to cry in that moment with all the cameras there. I said, “I don’t want to do this, Mr. Trump.” He said, “I don’t care.”
The gaggle of reporters frantically photographing Machado in what should have been a private setting is viscerally upsetting to watch.
Thankfully, it seems that Alicia is in a much better place today, both emotionally and physically. She has put that fat-shaming debacle behind her and has succeeded despite Trump's abuse and lack of basic human decency.
What's the best part of this woman's harrowing experience with Trump? Just in time for the November presidential election, she will be a U.S. Citizen and will use her hard-fought right of 'women's suffrage.' Rest assured, this misogynist, misanthropic Republican will not be Alicia Machado's presidential preference.
(Karoli adds:) After this story broke, Hillary Clinton tweeted this:
Congratulations on becoming a U.S. citizen, Alicia. Enjoy casting that vote. https://t.co/jewmwZrrOA
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 20, 2016
