Dear Trump bros (that includes you too, ladies),

Let’s just take this ONE thing. For now.

The FACT that the GOP candidate for president is on tape bragging that he can sexually assault women, because he’s a star.

Grabbing a woman by the genitals is sexual assault. FACT.

Stop saying it isn’t.

When you vote for Donald Trump, please own the truth.

You’re voting for a man who sexually assaults women. Oh, wait, he was just bragging about it? Um, no. As the tape unfolds, he leaves the bus with his pimp Billy Bush. Billypimp forces the woman they’ve been mocking and denigrating on the bus to hug both of them. They both grope her. Assault.

So, when you vote for Trump, you’re acknowledging you don’t care about this. “Those are just words, folks.”

Please explain that to your kids after you vote. They should know what hand they’ve been dealt, up front.

“Sweetheart, mommy and daddy had to vote for an accused rapist and serial misogynist because his opponent deleted some emails, plus she was MEAN to our guy. Mmmkay? Now go outside and play. But don’t wear that short skirt. And put on a sweater, for godsakes.”

I want to believe people I “know” couldn’t possibly vote for this man after they’ve heard him talk casually about sexual assault, call a woman “it” and so much worse.

But I’m not that dumb. I know they will. They may say they’re voting for his fiscal agenda. WHAT FISCAL AGENDA? He has none. He is a failed businessman who repeatedly stiffs the people he’s hired. Which is the role model some seek, I realize.

Back to the grabbing women by the genitals thing he said.

Actress, director and writer Amber Tamblyn recently shared a story detailing the night an ex did this very thing to her.

Women thanked her; men mocked her. Business as usual.

Kelly Oxford received over 8 MILLION responses online, when she asked women to tell their assault stories. Read them.

I know I’m not alone when I tell you this: my own degrading experiences, and those of my girlfriends, have flooded my memory since this man started demeaning people on a daily basis, months ago.

Like when a boy in our 6th grade class decided to call my best friend “Pig” and boys of all ages joined him, and called her that for years.

When a visiting male “superior” came into my office at one of my jobs as a writer, and told me to call a cab and book a hotel reservation for him. 

When I served as a sober cab for drunk men and one of them groped me from the backseat, the rest laughed. No one told him to chill. He asked me why I wasn’t nicer.

That last one reeks of the “Get over it, libtards!” response to the Trump Tape, from his male fans.

Ok, I’ll stop. These are the teeny tiny examples. I could go on. And on. And get far more graphic. But I’ll stop.

My point is Trump’s actions are faaaaaaaaaaar from unique in our culture. (Notice I didn’t say rape culture – at this point, it’s simply our culture.)

My dread and outrage are directed towards him, because he’s asked for it.

But please. Please, please, please don’t let this sick man become president of the United States. It’s okay to rethink it.

VOTE.

And lift a glass to Susan B. Anthony after you do.