The presidential campaign that takes place just a border away every four years has allowed us Canadians to observe and entertain ourselves with the banter between the candidates from a (somewhat) good distance away. Recent polls suggest that the 2016 Presidential race, however, has been given more attention by Canadians than those in the past, and it’s pretty clear who is in the centre of this spotlight.
Polls have suggested that “the level of concern about a Donald Trump victory remains extremely high” in Canada, and rightfully so. From his talks about walls, to the extreme levels of racism he exudes in his speeches, up to his ridiculous hair and suntan, it’s a miracle he has come this far in the election. One of the most troubling aspects, however, is his misogynist remarks that he has been spurring incessantly across the media for many years.
Hilary Clinton has employed these comments to her advantage in her campaign; her team has recently released a new campaign ad called “Mirrors” which shows young girls looking at themselves in a mirror while Trump’s past sexist remarks about women are played simultaneously in the background.
These comments are voiced as each one of them stares into their reflections, while going about their daily routine, like fixing their clothes, brushing their hair, or even taking a selfie, including:
“A person who’s flat chested is very hard to be a ten.”
“I’d look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers.”
“She’s a slob, she ate like a pig.”
“Does she have a good body? No. Does she have a fat ass? Absolutely.”
In the video, the young girls seem to be hearing these words and examining themselves even more intensely in the mirror as he emphasizes certain words like “slob,” “pig,” “fat,” “ugly.”
As the video progresses to the end, a clip of young Donald Trump in an interview is shown where the host asks him, “Do you treat women with respect?”, to which he answers, “Uh I can’t say that either.” In other words, no, he does not.
Other anti-Donald Trump ads in the past have also targeted Trump’s negative comments about women, such as the ad released by the PAC in March that showed a group of women reading his offensive statements out loud on camera. The high level of concern observed in Canada is understandable, as his remarks are daggers to all women across the globe, not just America. This ad is heartbreaking for many reasons because it is realistic; the pressure that these young girls face is illustrated through the video and felt by the viewers as Trump’s voice and words hit them as they reflect upon themselves. Clinton ends the video with the powerful question: “Is this the President we want for our daughters?”, or in other words, is this a quality that a leader of a country should have?
Images and Information obtained from:
http://media.vanityfair.com/photos/57e7f4e00a8ec0db67d1fe51/master/pass/…
https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/UB9NopIXCxxHvloeI92wyiS…
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/09/clinton-mirrors-ad-trump-girls
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/09/23/hillary-clinton-ad-mirrors_n_121…
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updat…