Public disputes concerning sexism, gender stereotypes, and alleged unequal treatment based on sex or gender.
Published coverage on this page: 4+ cases · 24+ statements. Statements are ordered newest first.
On Saturday Night Live, Shane Gillis joked that women at the gym now dress like whores. Dan Levy said men who call them that are misogynists; Michael Che called it comedy, and two commentators said the joke described real behavior.
Published
Read the case
Published
Labels describe a response to the linked claim or the action explained in the statement summary. Choose one or more.
112 matching statements
Role at the time: AFT president and Cornell alumna, jointly signing an open letter
Statement summary
In a joint letter with Melinda Person, Weingarten calls for Cornell's trustees to demand Kotlikoff's resignation over his handling of sexual-violence allegations.
“For these reasons, we are calling on the Board of Trustees to demand President Michael Kotlikoff ’s resignation.”
What this label refers to
The subject is Cornell's handling of the allegations and disciplinary response. Weingarten and Person call for Cornell's trustees to demand Kotlikoff's resignation over his handling of sexual-violence allegations.
Role at the time: Cornell associate professor of government, writing a guest opinion
Statement summary
Karim says Cornell must acknowledge institutional failure and pursue reform to rebuild trust.
Quotation excerpt
“Second, rebuilding trust requires institutions to acknowledge failure. That does not mean prejudging every contested fact or assigning responsibility before an investigation is complete. It means recognizing when systems have not worked as…”
“Second, rebuilding trust requires institutions to acknowledge failure. That does not mean prejudging every contested fact or assigning responsibility before an investigation is complete. It means recognizing when systems have not worked as they should. In recent weeks, Cornell and the District Attorney’s Office have become involved in reports about where responsibility for different aspects of this case lay. But this does little to rebuild public trust when the larger concern is that the system itself failed. Institutions earn credibility by demonstrating that they are capable of self-examination and correction.”
What this label refers to
The subject is Cornell's response to the allegations. Karim criticizes institutional failure and calls for acknowledgment and reform. Her refusal to prejudge individual guilt does not qualify her criticism of the response.
Role at the time: Political commentator and host of The John Doyle Show, on YouTube
Statement summary
Doyle says Gillis is under fire for accurately describing female behavior, and that women are proving his point by advertising themselves and their bodies on social media. Later in the segment he calls the joke directionally correct but a bit overstated.
“Comedian Shane Gillis is under fire for accurately describing female behavior, which is, of course, the highest blasphemy one can commit in 2026 America.”
What this label refers to
The reference point is Shane Gillis's joke in his October 10, 2026 Saturday Night Live monologue that women at the gym now dress like whores. Doyle calls the joke an accurate description of women's behavior and treats the criticism as unwarranted, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because he later says the joke is a bit overstated; it loses because he still calls it directionally correct and defends its premise.
Role at the time: Actor, author and political commentator, on his YouTube channel
Statement summary
Sorbo says Gillis's joke about women's gym clothes was an observation rather than just a joke, and that the angry reaction shows it hit home. He says women posting videos of themselves in gym clothes in response are proving Gillis's point.
“The funniest thing about Shane's joke is not that it was a joke, it's that it was an observation and the hit dog hollers and boy oh boy are they hollering”
What this label refers to
The reference point is Shane Gillis's joke in his October 10, 2026 Saturday Night Live monologue that women at the gym now dress like whores. Sorbo says the joke was an accurate observation and treats the backlash as confirmation of it, so we labeled it Defended or excused. No competing label fits; he does not criticize the joke.
Role at the time: Saturday Night Live Weekend Update co-anchor, in a TODAY interview
Response to this claim
Calling women who wear shorts at the gym whores, as Shane Gillis did in his Saturday Night Live monologue, is misogynistic.
“That’s comedy. It’s like, you think it’s funny and then some people don’t”
The reference point is Shane Gillis's joke in his October 10, 2026 Saturday Night Live monologue that women at the gym now dress like whores. Che treats the joke as ordinary comedy that some people find funny and others do not, and later says he can't criticize anybody for swinging and missing, so we labeled it Minimized. The closest competing label is Explicitly declined; it loses because Che answered the question and characterized the joke rather than refusing to comment.
Role at the time: Western University psychology researcher, co-author with Jamie Hong Chow and Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven
Statement summary
The authors say the ad captures two troubling trends: routine sexualization of women's bodies in digital media and gambling companies' use of sexual appeal to target young men.
“The ad captures two troubling trends: how routinely women’s bodies are sexualized in digital media and how gambling companies use sexual appeal, and the implied promise of romantic or sexual reward, to target young men.”
What this label refers to
The matter under scrutiny is Novig's sexualized sports campaign. The co-authors criticize its use of women's bodies and its appeal to young men.
Role at the time: Actor and co-creator of Schitt's Creek, in an Instagram video
Response to this claim
Calling women who wear shorts at the gym whores, as Shane Gillis did in his Saturday Night Live monologue, is misogynistic.
“It makes the men calling them whores misogynists. There’s a difference there.”
The reference point is Shane Gillis's joke in his October 10, 2026 Saturday Night Live monologue that women at the gym now dress like whores. Levy says the men who call women at the gym whores are misogynists, which Newsweek describes as calling the joke misogynistic, and he calls for more men to stand up in opposition, so we labeled it Condemned. No competing label fits; he offers no defense or qualification of the joke.
Role at the time: Political commentator posting on X
Statement summary
Loomer again used ghetto to characterize Nixon's alleged conduct and questioned her fitness for the Senate.
“Twerking with drag queens is not only ghetto, but it's also beneath anyone running to become a US Senator.”
What this label refers to
She reaffirms the disputed characterization by again applying the same term to Nixon.
Role at the time: Salon senior politics writer publishing a column
Statement summary
Marcotte defended Ossoff's remark and attributed the backlash to male insecurity.
“Beneath the right's meltdown over Ossoff's relatively tame comment about Harp was a molten layer of male insecurity.”
What this label refers to
She calls the disputed remark relatively tame and criticizes the reaction to it.
Role at the time: Novig co-founder, speaking in a CNBC interview
Statement summary
Fortinsky says Novig has no reason to apologize and remains proud of the ad. He says its purpose was to explain the platform rather than represent women athletes.
“Ultimately, I think we have nothing to apologize for and are very proud of the work that we did,”
What this label refers to
He explicitly defends the disputed advertising campaign against the criticism that it harmed women's sport.
Role at the time: Sports columnist, writing for OutKick
Statement summary
Calkins says the ad used sex appeal to reach a mostly male market and rejects its description as a kick in the face to female athletes.
“It was an ad that used sex appeal to catch the eye of a mostly-male market — not a "kick in the face" to female athletes, as four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus suggested.”
What this label refers to
The matter under scrutiny is Novig's sexualized sports campaign. Calkins defends that approach and rejects the claim that it insults female athletes.
Role at the time: Social worker and public health writer, in a signed column
Statement summary
Norton-Cruz says sexist marketing like this ad harms women and girls and does men no favors.
“So while sexist marketing like this is harmful to women and girls, it isn’t doing men any favors either.”
What this label refers to
The matter under scrutiny is Novig's sexualized use of sports imagery. Norton-Cruz explicitly criticizes it as harmful.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator from New Jersey
Statement summary
Sen. Andy Kim said New Jerseyans deserve public servants who earn and keep their trust, that the findings of the independent report are unacceptable, and that Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell should resign immediately.
“New Jerseyans deserve to have public servants who work to earn and keep their trust, not undermine it The findings of the independent report are unacceptable. The Lt. Governor should resign immediately.”
What this label refers to
The reference point is the investigation report's findings against Caldwell and Gov. Sherrill's call for him to resign. Kim called the report's findings unacceptable and said Caldwell should resign immediately, which expressly rejects the conduct, so we labeled it Condemned.
Role at the time: U.S. Senator from New Jersey
Statement summary
Sen. Cory Booker said Gov. Mikie Sherrill is right that the conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable, and that for the sake of the state Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell should resign.
“Governor Sherrill is absolutely right the conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable For the sake of our state Lt. Governor Caldwell should resign.”
What this label refers to
The reference point is the investigation report's findings against Caldwell and Gov. Sherrill's call for him to resign. Booker said the conduct described in the report is totally unacceptable and that Caldwell should resign, which expressly rejects the conduct, so we labeled it Condemned.
Role at the time: Governor of New Jersey, in an official statement and X post
Response to this claim
Lt. Gov. Caldwell's resignation is "necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents" because the investigation substantiated serious, repeated violations of state policy.
Quotation excerpt
“The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office. I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do…”
“The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office. I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so. … These violations substantiated in the investigation reflect a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this Administration. The ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings. The substantiated finding of sexual harassment is extremely troubling. … As a former federal prosecutor, I’m committed to ensuring everyone is treated fairly. This investigation was thorough and impartial. It was initiated by the Chief Ethics Officer and conducted by a respected former state Attorney General. … The Lieutenant Governor’s resignation is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.”
Relative to the report's findings and the call for Caldwell's resignation, Sherrill adopts the findings, says they reflect a pattern of behavior, and says his resignation is "necessary." She expressly criticizes the conduct and demands his departure, so condemns applies rather than a challenge to how the conduct is characterized.
Role at the time: Professional golfer, interviewed by Fox News
Statement summary
Hull endorses the ad and rejects the claim that it turns back women's sports.
“So I think it's a great idea. I don't understand how it's turning back women's sports because it's not.”
What this label refers to
Hull's explicit praise of the advertisement as a great idea establishes approval, alongside her rejection of criticism about women's sports.
Role at the time: Attorney for Lt. Gov. Caldwell, in a written statement
Response to this claim
The credible evidence substantiates that Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell violated the state workplace policy by commenting to a female staffer that young women want "young sperm," conduct the report finds constituted sexual harassment, and violated the Uniform Ethics Code and the Governor's Code of Conduct by bringing personal guests to ticketed events without payment or reimbursement and by seeking a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship.
Quotation excerpt
“This unnecessarily protracted and one-sided process lacked the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state … The Lieutenant Governor was not provided a meaningful opportunity to address each of these…”
“This unnecessarily protracted and one-sided process lacked the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state … The Lieutenant Governor was not provided a meaningful opportunity to address each of these anonymous allegations or offer readily identifiable witnesses who possessed more pertinent, first-hand knowledge of the events in question. … The most serious finding involves an allegation that Dr. Caldwell made an inappropriate comment during a car ride. Dr. Caldwell categorically denies making that statement. … There is a meaningful difference between making a good-faith error when analyzing the regulations and deliberately using public office for personal benefit. … The Lieutenant Governor participated in the investigative process faithfully to the limited extent permitted, expecting a genuine truth-seeking inquiry. Unfortunately, the report twists seemingly benign phrases, such as ‘executive presence,’ to imply improper motive; relies heavily and unduly on the anonymous complainant’s perceptions, characterizations, and multi-layered hearsay; and disregards the testimony of staffers who did not share those views, as well as the Lieutenant Governor’s own account.”
Relative to the report's findings, counsel says Caldwell explicitly denies the most serious finding and disputes the process and the other two findings. The explicit denial makes Denies the closest label. On the ethics findings, counsel contests intent and characterization rather than the underlying facts, which alone would be a challenge to the characterization.
Role at the time: Senate Republican Leader, in a press statement
Response to this claim
Lt. Gov. Caldwell's resignation is "necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents" because the investigation substantiated serious, repeated violations of state policy.
Quotation excerpt
“It is deeply disappointing that today’s report has confirmed and substantiated the ethics complaints and harassment allegations against Lt. Gov. Caldwell. This situation has gone on for far too long, and if he doesn’t agree to resign, the…”
“It is deeply disappointing that today’s report has confirmed and substantiated the ethics complaints and harassment allegations against Lt. Gov. Caldwell. This situation has gone on for far too long, and if he doesn’t agree to resign, the Legislature should follow the necessary protocols to resolve this matter once and for all.”
Relative to the report's findings and the call for Caldwell's resignation, Bucco treats the findings as confirming the allegations and presses for Caldwell's departure, by resignation or legislative action. That is express criticism of the conduct and support for removal, so condemns applies.
Role at the time: White House spokesperson
Statement summary
A White House spokesperson told Snopes that a viral image purporting to show Trump kissing Natalie Harp was "clearly a fake photo"; Snopes independently found evidence the image was AI-generated.
“clearly a fake photo”
What this label refers to
The White House disputes the authenticity of the viral image rather than addressing the underlying travel/relationship scrutiny — a characterization challenge specific to this fabricated artifact, not a broader defense or condemnation.
Role at the time: Organizer of the 2026 Whitesboro Black History Gala and Asbury Park community leader, in a press release
Statement summary
In a September 14, 2026 press release, Felicia Simmons, an organizer of the 2026 Whitesboro Black History Gala, said she was the contact with the Lieutenant Governor's office and received an email informing her that guests would be attending. She questioned the suggestion that Caldwell simply "showed up with guests," said event organizers should be included in the investigation, and said Caldwell "deserves a fair hearing."
Quotation excerpt
“I was the contact with the Lieutenant Governor's office, and I received an email informing me that guests would be attending. I also received a phone call from members of his staff regarding the space that would be needed. So when I hear…”
“I was the contact with the Lieutenant Governor's office, and I received an email informing me that guests would be attending. I also received a phone call from members of his staff regarding the space that would be needed. So when I hear the suggestion that Dr. Caldwell simply "showed up with guests," I believe that characterization deserves to be questioned. The investigation and public discussion should include the people who actually organized and coordinated the event. … Dr. Dale Caldwell deserves a fair hearing, just as anyone else would.”
What this label refers to
Relative to the allegations about guests at events, which the report later found substantiated as an ethics violation, Simmons disputes the complaint's description of how guests came to attend and asks that organizers be heard. She does not address the ethics rules or defend unpaid admission, so challenges the characterization fits better than defends or excuses.
Role at the time: Speaker, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Statement summary
PA House Speaker Joanna McClinton called on Trump to condemn Loomer's remarks.
“We need the president to condemn these comments... Unfortunately, attacking Black women is nothing new... We have been fighting with racism and misogyny for as long as we have been a democratic republic.”
What this label refers to
McClinton directly calls on Trump to condemn Loomer's remarks, an express condemnation.
Role at the time: Political commentator and host of The Luke Beasley Show
Response to this claim
Natalie Harp and other senior White House aides are taxpayer-paid public officials with immense power whose influence is a legitimate subject of political scrutiny.
“as if necessarily you're assuming something untoward, something salacious.”
Relative to Ossoff’s remark, Beasley offers a substantive justification for naming Harp; he goes beyond disputing an affair interpretation.
Role at the time: Political commentator
Statement summary
In an X reply concerning Angie Nixon’s alleged protest conduct, Laura Loomer repeated the phrase “THIS IS GHETTO BEHAVIOR!” The post reinforces Loomer’s earlier disputed characterization; it does not independently establish the allegations in the thread.
“THIS IS GHETTO BEHAVIOR!”
What this label refers to
The reply restates the contested characterization in defense of Loomer’s account of Nixon’s conduct. It is recorded as a follow-up defense of the characterization, not as an independent finding about Nixon.
Role at the time: Official White House rapid-response account (@RapidResponse47)
Statement summary
The official White House @RapidResponse47 account defended Trump traveling with Natalie Harp as ordinary staff travel and personally attacked journalist Aaron Rupar for highlighting it.
“President Trump does, in fact, travel with staff. Aaron, on the other hand, is a sick, deluded freak... who sits behind a keyboard and posts creepy things like this.”
What this label refers to
The official White House rapid-response account defends Trump traveling with Harp as ordinary staff travel, while attacking the journalist who raised it — a defense of the underlying conduct scrutinized in this case.
Randi Weingarten is president of the American Federation of Teachers.
1 case and 1 statement
Sabrina Karim is an associate professor of government at Cornell University and directs the Gender and Security Sector Lab. Her research examines conflict, peace processes and gender in security institutions. She earned her doctorate at Emory University in 2016. She previously studied at Oxford as a Clarendon Scholar and earned her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.
1 case and 1 statement
John Doyle is an American political commentator and online video host. He hosts Heck Off, Commie! and speaks to college and university audiences about politics and foreign policy.
1 case and 1 statement
Michael Che is an American comedian and writer. He has co-anchored the Weekend Update segment of NBC's Saturday Night Live since 2014 and has released stand-up specials, including Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota on Netflix in 2026.
1 case and 1 statement
Braeden Sorbo is an American actor, author and political commentator. He wrote Embrace Masculinity and hosts a news and culture show published under his name.
1 case and 1 statement
Samantha Jones is a psychology researcher at Western University in Canada. Her research examines social media, mood and well-being. She earned her doctorate in social developmental psychology at Western.
1 case and 1 statement
Dan Levy is a Canadian actor, writer, director and producer. He co-created the sitcom Schitt's Creek with his father, Eugene Levy, starred in it as David Rose and won Emmy Awards in 2020 for writing, directing, producing and acting on the show.
1 case and 1 statement
Shane Gillis is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He co-hosts Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, stars in the Netflix comedy series Tires and has released stand-up specials including Beautiful Dogs. He has hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live three times since 2024.
1 case
Far-right political activist, commentator, and ally of President Donald Trump.
1 case and 7 statements
Amanda Marcotte is an American political journalist and author. She is a senior politics writer at Salon, writes Standing Room Only and is the author of Troll Nation.
1 case and 1 statement
Co-founder and CEO of Novig, a U.S. sports prediction market.
1 case and 1 statement
Matt Calkins is a sports journalist and columnist. He formerly wrote for The Seattle Times and publishes commentary on his Substack and for OutKick.
1 case and 1 statement
