Perspective: The Descriptive Words Utilized in Stormy Daniels' Testimony
For two days, Stephanie Gregory Clifford, renowned as Stormy Daniels, shared her associations with former President Donald Trump and the alleged sexual encounter they had in 2006. This happened during Trump's criminal trial concerning allegations of falsifying business records to cover up stories on presumed affairs before the 2016 presidential race.
As Daniels appeared as a witness, media outlets and commentators all over the country frequently used terms like "salacious," "lurid" and "tawdry" to describe her court testimony. This was due to her discussing an evening where she allegedly had sex with the defendant in a Nevada hotel.
These immature headlines are sadly unsurprising, considering the unruly political scene, full of name-calling, grandstanding, and childish behavior. Some may say deeming sex as inappropriate is childish.
However, it's concerning when the media decided to mischaracterize Daniels' testimony as something indecent. These words carry a sense of immorality and uncleanliness, not towards the accused but towards the woman who had the bravery to speak out.
When nearly half of 2016 voters accepted Trump's comments about sexual assault as regular "locker room talk," it's hypocritical and downright misogynistic to portray Daniels' account as something other than a recollection.
Although the Manhattan case is not directly linked to Trump's alleged involvement with Daniels, the details of their brief supposed romance are significant to the prosecution's case. Following the October 2016 revelations about the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape, where Trump openly boasted about grabbing women without their consent, stories of an extramarital affair from years ago could have dramatically affected Trump's presidential campaign.
So, Daniels complied with the prosecution's request and carefully outlined the hotel room where she first met Trump, including flooring, furniture, and even the contents of his toiletry bag. Daniels provided a detailed account of Trump's actions as they had sex, how she fainted during the encounter, how she was shaken afterwards, and her decision to ensure all future meetings with Trump were in public places.
These specifics were crucial to Daniels' credibility, as Trump has repeatedly denominated the affair a complete fabrication, denied even knowing the accuser, and denounced the accusers' looks as a way to discredit them. Knowing this, the defense and Trump's camp were undoubtedly aware of the need for Daniels to provide extensive details.
The defense, Trump's family members, and even Trump himself have all utilized this case as an opportunity to malign Daniels. Following Daniels' March 7 testimonial, Trump's son Eric labeled the court proceedings a "salacious show," with news outlets fueling the flames through gratuitous and exaggerated headlines.
During cross-examination, Daniels was accused of fabricating the affair and referred to as someone who had "a lot of experience making phony stories about sex appear real." Her professional decisions were criticized, and her ambition to improve her financial situation was condemned. All these attacks seemed designed to cast doubts on the merits of her testimony along with question her morality. Meanwhile, Trump's associates have been profiting from his name by promoting items like NFTs and mediocre steaks with his name on them.
In a 2018 interview with Anderson Cooper, Daniels maintained that she wasn't a victim. In her words, "This is not a 'Me Too.' I was not a victim. I've never said I was a victim ... I didn't say no."
Nonetheless, Daniels has suffered from the widespread misogyny, the stigmatization she experienced while testifying, in the press, and throughout social media. Mischaracterizations of her alleged sexual encounter have branded her with the well-known scarlet letter society bestows upon women in the sex industry: Women who've chosen to work within the industry. Women who shamelessly profit from their sexuality. Women who don't condemn sex or having sex as immoral acts.
Enjoying sex is a normal part of being human - many people are probably doing it at this very moment. However, what's not normal (although it may seem that way) is to criticize the women who talk candidly and honestly about it.
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In the aftermath of Stormy Daniels' testimony, various commentators expressed their opinions on the salacious nature of her account, contributing to a broader discourse on the mainstream media's treatment of women speaking out about sexual encounters. It's crucial to consider the impact of such language on the individuals involved and the broader societal perceptions of sex and power.
Furthermore, the continuous mischaracterization of Daniels' experiences as indecent or salacious contributes to a larger problem of attributing blame to victims, ultimately perpetuating a harmful cycle of misogyny.
Source: edition.cnn.com
