Donald Trump leaned in to the microphone to call Hillary Clinton a “nasty woman” in a brief but jarringly vicious aside toward the end of the presidential debate on Wednesday night, rather undermining his earlier assertion that “nobody has more respect for women than me”.
The moment was both illuminating and arresting: according to pollster Frank Luntz, Trump’s claim that “nobody has more respect for women than me” did worse with his live focus group than any other point in the debate for the Republican candidate.
It was a low point in a debate which was itself a grim slog for Trump. Faced with a moderator – Fox News’s unflappable Chris Wallace – who would not allow him to seek refuge in vague assurances and unspecific promises, Trump retreated to his safe space: lashing out with catty asides.
But this is the national stage, and the response from Twitter was swift and merciless. #NastyWoman was soon trending as people reacted against Trump.
Users also rallied around to reclaim the slur:
2012: "I've got binders full of women."
— ☆ Carly ☆ (@roseofbattle) October 20, 2016
2016: "Such a nasty woman."
every feminist i know has already reclaimed “nasty woman”
— Lindsey Adler (@Lahlahlindsey) October 20, 2016
I want a Nasty Woman t-shirt
— lucy5000 (@lucyraleigh) October 20, 2016
Nasty Women 4 Her
— Ellie Shechet (@ellieshechet) October 20, 2016
Nasty Women in the streets, Bad Hombre in the sheets.
— Jason Permenter (@jasonpermenter) October 20, 2016
That's Secretary Nasty Woman to you, bud. https://t.co/soyem88OHu
— Jocelyn R Davis (@JocelynRDavis) October 20, 2016
NASTY WOMAN 2016
— Peter Schultz (@pete_schultz) October 20, 2016
Nasty woman and proud of it! I hope all you nasty women join us in NYC and Denver to protest next week! https://t.co/HyzXL61zBw #nastywoman
— Shannon Galpin (@sgalpin) October 20, 2016
RT if you're a #NastyWoman pic.twitter.com/I3mBfrv8lP
— HuffPostWomen (@HuffPostWomen) October 20, 2016
I can see the meme now. "It's Hillary...Mrs. Clinton if you're nasty." Apologies to Janet Jackson. #debatenight #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/tqcpo95g0l
— Mario Nacinovich (@nacinovich) October 20, 2016
Many users even changed their Twitter names:
I just want some respect (That's right) #debate #nasty https://t.co/fhd60FtpcZ
— kim yi dionne (@dadakim) October 20, 2016
I'm just gonna leave this here. #nastywoman #debate pic.twitter.com/FRyl8XLfc0
— Arthaey Angosii (@arthaey) October 20, 2016