I'm not a woman, so I'm afraid I don't understand

[louis c]

I've never had sisters. I have never had children. I have a wonderful wife, but she was raised outside of this country and she thinks like me, so she's no help in explaining what I don't understand.

So, maybe some of you DUers have an explanation.

How is it that any woman can support Donald Trump? I can understand a 92% disapproval among African Americans, I can understand a 70% disapproval among Latinos. I can understand a lot of the demographic breakdowns in assessing polling data on this despicable man. I am in the demographic that supports this repulsive and hateful person. I know men who think and act like Trump.

But women? And I mean women of any age, religion, nationality, race, or education level. Shouldn't that approval number be 0%?

I don't get it.

[mrs_p]

1. This woman right here

Doesn’t get it either. I truly can’t understand.

[mrs_p]

15. Oh, thanks to whomever gave me an heart

Very sweet.

[Luciferous]

2. I don't understand it either

[liberalmuse]

3. I dont get it either.

And I’ve been a woman for a very long time.

[brush]

4. You're absolutely right. K&R. Women who voted for him should be ashamed.

And those who continue to back him are totally lost.

[enough]

5. Being a woman doesn't automatically make you wiser, smarter, or better informed than

any other kind of human being. I know this because I am one.

[louis c]

9. Ya, but he's attacking you

African Americans are as smart as any other demographic. They approve of Trump at about 8%. They know that they are being attacked because of their race.

Women are being attacked because of their gender. Shouldn't that Trump approval number be under 30%?

[Hortensis]

38. Sure he's attacking Enough, but I'm guessing she doesn't like it.

I know I don't.

[lindysalsagal]

6. Authoritarianism: Either giving or receiving. It's brain-based. Lots of studies every year or so.

Some brains are a little shaky and the hard-line shame-based religion and accompanying conservatism make them feel a little safer.

Control is a myth, but some believe it's necessary for survival.

Then there's the disenfranchised who just want to kick anyone they can blame for their problems instead of changing their lives.

[Hortensis]

32. Yes! Big parts right here. He's projecting strong authoritarian

leadership. To fools of course, since he's a major wimp personally and as president, but they haven't caught on to that.

"Disenfranchised" is an interesting term for those others, given the real disenfranchised, but for sure there also. Those certainly include the resentful white Democrats who decided to vote for Trump, or third party or not at all, upset at having lost unearned advantages over women and minorities.

[OldHippieChick]

7. From what I have seen of the demographics, most of the women

who voted for Cheeto were older and white. Many of them are just as racist as their husbands. Also, some women can be shallow and probably fell under his charms when he was hosting his t.v. show. He seemed charming and, after all, appears to have money. I'm always surprised and disgusted at the women who marry men for their money.

[louis c]

10. That's reasonable. Thanks

[kydo]

8. Well, lots of reason for this strange occurrence.

1. Brainwashed, by things like religion, faux noise, etc.
2. Mental/emotional issues due to some type of abuse as a child.
3. Stupidity.
4. Any combination of the above.

[louis c]

11. This explanation is also resonable

[tblue37]

33. Women can also be misogynist, and Hillary had been smeared for 3 decades.

Propaganda works, and the propaganda against Hillary persuaded many that anyone or anything would be a better choice. Also, don't forget that 53% of white women voters is not the same as 53% of white women who could have voted. Apathy (undoubtedly exacerbated by propaganda against Hillary) prevented a lot of women from even bothering to vote.

Furthermore, the horse race media, even as they deliberately boosted Trump and dragged Hillary down, kept assuring everyone that her election was inevitable, which almost certainly led potential HRC voters to think their vote was not needed. Of course, those voters could have helped down ballot, but unlike typical Republican voters, who vote religiously (pun intended) in all elections for all offices, Democratic voters all too often ignore any election that isn't for POTUS.

[lark]

12. I truly don't understand this either.

What I think is that, especially in the past, so many white women are very brainwashed by their men, starting with daddy, and are brought up to the subservient and that men are the leaders and they are the followers. They are brought up to dismiss and disregard other women and really taught that women don't have much value on their own. I know for sure this is done in the south and guess it's pretty much the same in a lot of the country.

My family was one of the few that didn't do this. I think it was because mom had 7 sisters and really valued them so much. Her mom also supported them through the Great depression while granddad had TB, although they were very poor. I was raised to trust women and think of them as strong competent people, and that part took hold.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. Straight white women can benefit from the patriarchy, as long as they don't rock the boat too much.

It's why 53 percent of white women voters picked him. Marrying the right man gives a lot of benefits to women, as long as they don't get too uppity. Many women are willing to make that deal, whether it's because of their personalities, backgrounds, circumstances or true beliefs.

[Lars39]

16. This has been my observations also.

And then some of these women act as enforcers towards the younger women.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. Exactly. Oppression is hard to defeat because it always offers small rewards to some of the

oppressed. Those who accept the rewards often turn around and participate in that oppression. And then the oppressed are fighting on two fronts.

[Lars39]

26. Yes.

Creating a horrible hierarchy that is almost impossible to beat in some instances.

[Frustratedlady]

14. Most women I know don't support Trump, but the ones who do are the type that

are submissive or can't think for themselves. Whatever their husband thinks is what they think. There are two who support him that are extremely religious and God has told them to overlook/forgive the way he treats women. I see them wavering on that a bit, so we might finally be getting to them. At least they aren't publicly defending him.

Both of these women are intelligent, generous and thoughtful, but Trump's "manliness" impressed them. Neither liked Obama, thought his speeches were someone else's thoughts (which I found incredible since neither can think for themselves) and are impressed that Trump is a true Christian. I know...pick your jaw up off the floor with the rest of us.

Two years ago, I would have thought both would never fall for the snake oil salesman named Trump. It has ended our relationship and can't understand why. I've tried to get the thought through to them that by voting for Trump, they are responsible for the mess we are in and the Democrats are going to have to clean up the mess he's made.

[Ohiogal]

31. Obama is more of a man that snowflake Donnie will ever be

I was so proud to hear when Obama declared that he was a feminist.

Of course, that's the kiss of death to most conservatives.

[Frustratedlady]

36. Obama could expose that about himself because he is secure within his own skin.

That's one of the big differences between what we have now and what we had. Trump is so insecure, he concentrates his time on bringing his enemies (most of us) down to his level. He hasn't learned yet that is an impossible task. I suppose we should feel sorry for him, as he is a sad and sorry example of a human being.

[Silver Swan]

18. I keep hoping

I keep hoping that they are beginning to see the light!

[JDC]

19. I think religion has a lot to do with it

They truly believe that gawd put him there. And gawd can't be wrong.

I honestly don't understand how he has support from anyone.

[Takket]

20. the GOP has convinced 1/3 of the country to vote agianst its own best interest EVERY election

and women are just as susceptible to the brainwashing as the men are.

also plenty of women have had it driven into their heads by religion, the men in their lives and politicians that they are inferior, flawed, and should not be in charge of anything. thus they see a figure that is horrible to women like drumpf and actually believe he what the country needs to save women from themselves.

[eleny]

21. His appeal to racists overrides other concerns

So racist women embrace him.

My husband often asks this question. It baffles him, too. So this is the answer I give him every time. It's the messaging to racists. Brown skin scares a lot of people. They'll stick with him no matter what because he messages white power.

Look at the mostly white evangelicals. They turn their backs on the message of their Jesus to gain more white power.

[Ohiogal]

29. That's a good point, eleny

Racists come in both male and female forms. And I think their racism comes before all else. Trump validates their racism.

[eleny]

40. Imo, any doubt was surely erased by his response to Charlottesville

..... .....

[UpInArms]

22. Stupidity runs wide and deep, my friend

I wish it were not so.

[PunkinPi]

23. Internalized sexism/misogyny. nt

[RandomAccess]

24. The racism is probably part but a bigger part is

called Internalized Oppression.


From Wikipedia:
Internalized sexism is experienced when people, generally women, adopt the oppressive attitudes towards their gender held by the culture they live in. An example of this is slut-shaming, wherein women enforce male expectations of female sexuality on themselves and other women.[6] The pervasive cultural idea that women are inferior to men may have developed into women viewing "themselves as reduced agents".

. . . “If women are surrounded by people who view them as subordinate, incapable, or lacking control over their actions, women are likely to come to understand themselves in a similar way, even if subconsciously”

[crazycatlady]

25. Without seeing a further demographic breakdown

The ones I'm interested in are married/unmarrried, age, education level, and location.

Many (especially older) married women see themselves as extension of their husband and will often use things like 'Mrs. John Smith' instead of 'Mrs. Jane Smith." I've talked to many (mostly older- 60+) women while canvassing who have told me that their husband decides the household's vote.

Also in conservative Christian circles, women are taught to submit to their husbands.

[Ohiogal]

27. I can only tell you

one anecdotal explanation and that comes from my sister, who is a working woman always complaining about not having enough money.

She told me she realizes Trump is a buffoon, a clown, a farce, but she said she voted for him because she figured he'd lower her taxes.

[Arkansas Granny]

28. Sorry, I don't have any answers. Most of us here have been asking the same question

since the election.

I'm not saying that every woman should have supported Hillary because she was a woman, but I don't know how in the world any self respecting woman could support Trump.

[pandr32]

30. All too many of them are right-wing Christian

They believe woman was created from man and is meant to play a supportive role. Since God created man in "his" image--patriarchy is established from creation.
Trump would not have been installed in the White House by Putin unless God wanted it to happen. Therefore, both Trump and Putin are a-okay.

[Nanjeanne]

34. Im a woman and Ill never understand it but I think its similar to how

Evangelicals do as well. For whatever reason, for a number of them the abortion issue is the one and only issue that matters and the Supreme Court is the only voting issue that concerns them.

It’s not that I can actually understand that because I can’t. But I do believe for many that’s their rationale.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

35. Sometimes people are complicit in their own oppression.

I, too, am baffled at how any woman (actually, any halfway sentient human) could have voted for someone so obviously unfit as Trump. But he also has a few black supporters and gay supporters, another thing that's puzzling to me. Do some people prefer to identify with their oppressors so as not to feel oppressed themselves? I don't know. In the case of women Trump voters, many are southern evangelical Christians, and they'll do whatever their church tells them God wants - and they were told God wanted Trump because Hillary was going to murder all those unborn babies. Some women just hated Hillary; after all, she's a godless feminist who let her husband sleep around (the fact that Trump slept around doesn't seem to bother them). Some women are racist. Some are just stupid and uninformed. Some just don't want to identify with women who have been assaulted - either because they don't want to think about being assaulted themselves, or they have been assaulted and feel so guilty and ashamed that they go 100% the other way to avoid thinking about it. Probably a lot of reasons, but it's still hard for me to understand.

[askyagerz]

37. Im willing to bet

Over 90% of women trump voters are married to ignorant racist trump supporters. They're just as brainwashed as their husbands, They do whatever their husband says, or maybe they're just as hateful as trump. I have met some truly venomous women over the years.
Just remember they are in the same bubble as everyone else around them. If their environments scream anti-Liberalism then that's what a weak minded individual is going to cling to because they just don't know any better.

[smirkymonkey]

39. I honestly don't get it either, and most of the women I know and am close with are

Democrats and always vote that way. The women I know who are republicans and voted for Trump did so because they are brainwashed by the men in their lives and Fox news and absolutely HATE Liberals. I don't even think they know why, but they hate Liberals and will vote for anyone who goes against them. It's not even really about racism or homophobia or anything like that. It's just a big FU to the Liberals.

Also, in my opinion, these women are all very insecure and not particularly bright.

[OregonBlue]

41. My Dad's family are from the South and they are all Southern Baptist Ministers, etc.

They are anti-abortion and (while they won't admit it) very racist. Trump hates Mexicans, Blacks, and he pretends to be anti-abortion. That is all it takes. No matter what else he does, they will support him. He could shoot someone in Times Square and they would find a way to justify it.

So, it's not actually a "woman" thing. It's a religion/racist thing.

[radical noodle]

42. I have a lot of female acquaintances who voted for him

They have certain things in common for the most part:

Traditionally GOP voters
Gullibility
Fox watchers
Police defenders (BLM and all that bothered them)
Animosity toward President Obama
They find political correctness to be confusing because they believe no matter what they say, they're going to be wrong
They believe they're not racist, but still believe white people are getting a raw deal (white lives and blue lives matter too... they have no understanding of white privilege)

I think these folks would have voted for trump no matter who was running as a Democrat.

Since he was elected, they consider all the protests and negative reporting as just sour grapes and lies. (Fox news again) Those people are unlikely to ever believe trump did anything wrong.

[spooky3]

43. The 2016 voting pattern of white women was very similar

To their historical pattern. H. Clinton actually got a slightly higher percentage of white women’s votes than did prior Dem candidates.

[ismnotwasm]

44. Women can be and have been racist bigots

With internalized misogyny. This kind of voting is one place where the privilege of Whiteness is apparent to more than just people of color.

[hfojvt]

45. you are expecting a lot for anything to be at 0% or 100%

To some degree, this is our problem. We do not understand, we do not WANT to understand the viewpoint of those who disagree with us. We typically write them off as racists and/or idiots or otherwise malevolent. I believe some of that is present in this thread.

Myself, I am puzzled by the vitriol directed at Trump. What makes him so despicable? Words?

Some of the people spewing hatred at Trump were applauding George W. Bush. He gave some speech about honesty - an my irony meter broke.

Trump haters routinely call him the worst President ever, and I am like.

George W. Bush
1. allowed 911 to happen (of course, I am still a Lihopper, but still it did happen on his watch)
2. his tax cuts for the rich were $3.5 trillion
3. he invaded Iraq costing trillions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives.
4. he presided over the worst recession since the Great Depression - 7 million jobs were lost in two years and the whole economic system just about collapsed entirely.
5. and we used to call him a consummate liar

Trump
1. said some things
2. told some lies
3. tax cuts for the rich of $1.5 trillion

On my scorecard in the race for the worst Bush is ahead by about 147-12.

So I don't get it either. (except I would probably blame a hate monger industry).