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Sexism

Public disputes concerning sexism, gender stereotypes, and alleged unequal treatment based on sex or gender.

Related cases

Case

Laura Loomer’s remarks about Angie Nixon and other Black women in politics

Laura Loomer described Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon and four other prominent Black women using the word “ghetto” and a gendered slur, said the stereotype exists, and later defended the wording as an accurate description of Nixon’s conduct, race, and ideology. Nixon and political figures and commentators across party lines called the remarks racist, sexist, degrading, offensive, or vile. The dispute concerns whether Loomer’s stated political criticism can be separated from the racial and gender stereotypes used in the original and follow-up statements.

Case

Jon Ossoff’s travel with Natalie remark about Donald Trump and Natalie Harp

At an Atlanta reelection rally, Senator Jon Ossoff said President Donald Trump did not want to do the work of the presidency and instead wanted to build a ballroom and “travel with Natalie” on a Qatari aircraft. Trump allies accused Ossoff of misogyny and of implying an affair with White House aide Natalie Harp. Ossoff did not apologize and said senior White House aides are powerful taxpayer-paid public officials whose influence is fair to scrutinize.

Statements

LaMonica McIver

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Laura Loomer is just as stupid as she is racist, and her comments are disgusting."
Why we used this label

Direct public condemnation.

Stephen A. Smith

Role at the time: Media commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Laura Loomer’s comments about Black women in politics were highly offensive. Period. I’m calling it out!"
Why we used this label

Unambiguous public rejection of the comments.

Audie Cornish

Role at the time: CNN anchor and journalist

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"It’s depressing for me to wake up and see something like that."
Why we used this label

Editorial condemnation grounded in the treatment of Black women.

Abby Phillip

Role at the time: CNN host and journalist

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Loomer is facing backlash for dropping these racist attacks."
Why we used this label

Editorial characterization by the host rather than an official political statement.

Noah Rothman

Role at the time: Conservative writer and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Those are vile comments. A long history of similar vile comments. She deserves to be cast out."
Why we used this label

Explicit conservative condemnation.

Isaiah Martin

Role at the time: Democratic activist and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Trump absolutely should go and disown Laura Loomer."
Why we used this label

Direct call for repudiation.

Shermichael Singleton

Role at the time: Republican strategist and CNN commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"What Laura Loomer said is despicable. It doesn’t stand for the party."
Why we used this label

Explicit conservative condemnation and party distancing.

Rashida Tlaib

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

The absence of comparable Republican condemnation reflects a political double standard in reactions to inflammatory online figures.

"I’m going to check to see if you said anything about Laura Loomer calling a Black woman running for Senate…"
Why we used this label

The statement treats Loomer’s conduct as condemnable and principally advances a consistency argument.

Ben Crump

Role at the time: Civil-rights attorney

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Black women should NEVER have to endure such hateful and degrading rhetoric for daring to lead."
Why we used this label

Expressly calls the rhetoric hateful and degrading.

Wes Moore

Role at the time: Governor of Maryland

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"You attack and insult Black women because you believe peddling racism is good for your clicks and your business model."
Why we used this label

Explicit characterization as racism and a call to condemn.

Hakeem Jeffries

Role at the time: House Democratic leader

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"Laura Loomer is a stone-cold racist, pathological liar and nutjob."
Why we used this label

Explicit party-leadership condemnation.

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Role at the time: Former Republican member of Congress

Condemned

Responding to

Loomer’s remarks about Nixon and the other women were racist and misogynistic stereotyping rather than legitimate political criticism.

"I 1000% denounce Laura Loomer and her nasty, hateful, racists comments."
Why we used this label

Explicit cross-partisan denunciation.

Stephen Miller

Role at the time: White House deputy chief of staff

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"This is among the most vile things I’ve seen in American politics."
Why we used this label

Strong direct condemnation, preserved through contemporaneous reporting.

The Wrath of MAGA (opens in a new tab)Opening section and Stephen Miller reaction

Robby Starbuck

Role at the time: Conservative activist and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Jon Ossoff’s “travel with Natalie” remark insinuated that Donald Trump and Natalie Harp were having an affair.

"Jon Ossoff is a vile coward for insinuating they’re having an affair."
Why we used this label

The clearest direct articulation of the affair interpretation.

Scott Jennings

Role at the time: CNN political commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"What a coward. Own your sexist joke, bro."
Why we used this label

Directly condemns the wording as sexist.

Abigail Jackson

Role at the time: White House spokesperson

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"This misogynistic attack from Jon Ossoff was disgusting."
Why we used this label

Unambiguous condemnation of the remark’s gendered implication.

Brandon Gill

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

Jon Ossoff’s “travel with Natalie” remark insinuated that Donald Trump and Natalie Harp were having an affair.

"Any other insinuation is vile."
Why we used this label

Expressly condemns the inferred personal-relationship claim.

Anna Paulina Luna

Role at the time: United States representative

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"Your comments are both sexist and misogynistic."
Why we used this label

Directly classifies the disputed phrasing as gendered misconduct.

Newt Gingrich

Role at the time: Former speaker of the House

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"Ossoff owes Natalie Harp an apology."
Why we used this label

Explicit apology demand and misogyny allegation.

Hugh Hewitt

Role at the time: Conservative radio host and commentator

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"Ossoff should apologize. What a mean-spirited jerk who traffics in slander."
Why we used this label

Explicit condemnation and apology demand.

Davis Ingle

Role at the time: White House aide

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"Natalie Harp is one of the most loyal and hardest working aides in the White House."
Why we used this label

Rejects the attack on Harp and frames her as a diligent public servant.

Steven Cheung

Role at the time: White House communications director

Condemned

Responding to

Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.

"Instead of denigrating hard working people serving their country, Skippy should stop being a lightweight loser who spends his time getting his ass kicked by President Trump."
Why we used this label

Directly rejects the treatment of Harp while attacking Ossoff.

Jon Ossoff

Role at the time: United States senator and reelection candidate

Condemned

Responding to

Jon Ossoff’s travel with Natalie remark about Donald Trump and Natalie Harp

"He doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the emir of Qatar."
Why we used this label

Ossoffs statement directly criticizes Trump conduct and the reported travel arrangement.

Scandal piñata — Jon Ossoff Atlanta rally transcript (opens in a new tab)Paragraph beginning “He doesn’t want to do the job”

People with useful coverage

Mario Díaz-Balart

Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida.

1 case and 1 statement

Laura Loomer

Far-right political activist, commentator, and ally of President Donald Trump.

1 case and 2 statements

LaMonica McIver

United States representative from New Jersey.

1 case and 1 statement

Audie Cornish

American journalist, broadcaster, and CNN anchor.

1 case and 1 statement

Abby Phillip

American journalist and anchor of CNN NewsNight.

1 case and 1 statement

May Mailman

Attorney, commentator, and former Trump administration policy official.

1 case and 1 statement

Isaiah Martin

Democratic political activist and commentator.

1 case and 1 statement

Shermichael Singleton

Republican political strategist and CNN political commentator.

1 case and 1 statement

Ben Crump

American civil-rights attorney known for representing families in prominent police-misconduct and discrimination cases.

1 case and 1 statement

Wes Moore

American politician serving as governor of Maryland.

1 case and 1 statement

Rashida Tlaib

United States representative from Michigan.

1 case and 1 statement

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