RantCrush Top 5: July 31, 2017

Over the weekend, Slate writer Will Saletan tweeted the following in response to footage of Representative Maxine Waters standing up to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnunchin:

Advice to parents: Teach your daughter to say “No” firmly and mean it. Men sense women’s willingness to yield. Make clear you mean business. https://t.co/bp48ziEjYw

— Will Saletan (@saletan) July 29, 2017

But his sentiment that it’s a woman’s responsibility to say “no” forcefully rather than a man’s responsibility to respect a “no” earned Saletan almost immediate pushback.

Advice to parents: Teach your Slate blogger son not to tweet patronizing victim-blaming nonsense under the guise of advocacy! https://t.co/wO4wqxbEsM

— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) July 30, 2017

Then, Saletin responded to the criticism he was receiving, trying to explain that he was just encouraging parents to teach their daughters to hold their ground. But that justification was seen as too little, too late.

I wrote that girls should be taught to assert themselves, like Maxine Waters. What happened next on Outrage Twitter won’t surprise you. https://t.co/3FBNodWJkv

— Will Saletan (@saletan) July 29, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.