A Closer Look at Rudy Giuliani’s Degrading Comments

Rudy Giuliani—former mayor of New York City and current lawyer to Donald Trump—has not had the most principled history when it comes to women. From marrying his cousin (his first wife of three), to questioning the legitimacy of a woman president, to standing by Donald Trump, Giuliani has shown his true morality when it comes to sex and gender issues.

During a news conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, Giuliani made extremely “piggish” comments about Stormy Daniels.  “When you look at Stormy Daniels” Giuliani raised his eyebrows and grimaced before he continued: “I know Donald Trump. Look at his three wives, right? Beautiful women, classy women, women of great substance. Stormy Daniels? PFFT.” Giuliani expressed that a women like Stormy has “no weight to her credibility.”

In other words, Giuliani argues that because of Stormy’s appearance we can not trust her, basing her credibility solely on her looks. Comparing her to Trump’s past wives is not only objectifying of Stormy, but of Trump’s past wives as well!

Of course, Giuliani really only discredited himself by showing his misogynistic ideology and false reasoning. (as a lawyer, it is almost laughable that Giuliani would attempt to use someone’s appearance as evidence to a false claim).

Giuliani also went on to disrespect all porn industry workers. “If you are going to sell your body for money, you just don’t have a reputation… You know, every porn person can’t be a star. I never heard of her before. Not that I watch porn… I respect all human beings. I even have to respect criminals. But I’m sorry I don’t respect porn stars the same way I respect a career woman or a woman of substance.” Giuliani was considered quite the hypocrite for disrespecting porn stars, given that Trump, his client and close friend, has appeared in three softcore porn videos, supported the careers of and posed with countless playboy bunnies, and has married two women who have both posed nude for money.

Trump went on to agree with Giuliani’s derogatory statements. “I’m not going to disagree with him on that,” Trump stated. He added “Look, Rudy is great, but Rudy is Rudy. Rudy is doing a very good job, actually.” Trump condoned Giuliani’s statements with a very “it’s just the way he is” sort of attitude. Yet this repetitive attitude—of letting it slide when men speak, or act, in demeaning ways towards women, arguing that it’s “just how men are”—is the kind of attitude that fuels the normalization of degrading women in our culture.

Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels’ Lawyer, explained his disgust with Giuliani’s comments and the President’s failure to reprimand him on them: “His comments are piggish, they’re outrageous, especially in today’s day and age, and he should be fired immediately by the president.” He also made the point that if Giuliani were the lawyer for any fortune 500 company he would’ve been fired immediately. But this isn’t a fortune 500 company; this is the White House.

Featured Image via: Flickr/Gage Skidmore