Candace Owens found herself at the receiving end of heavy backlash after remarks about #MeToo that even conservatives condemned.
The Turning Point USA communications director attacked the #MeToo movement in a tweet on Monday claiming that it treats women as “stupid, weak & inconsequential.”
Owens came under serious fire for her words leading to one conservative group pulling out of Turning Point’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit.
The entire premise of #metoo is that women are stupid, weak & inconsequential.
Too stupid to know what men might want if you come to their hotel room late at night.
Too weak to turn around and tell someone not to touch your ass again.
Too inconsequential to realize this.— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 11, 2018
Owens may have been attempting to slam feminists and activists for taking over the #MeToo movement and making women feel weak, but many felt her words seemed to imply that the victims were at fault. The movement, which started in response to sexual assault allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, is rather a way for victims to elevate their voices and be heard.
The conservative environmentalist group, American Conservative Coalition, revoked its sponsorship of the Young Women’s Leadership Summit, announcing it was pulling out of the four-day conference for young, conservative women due to Owens’ words.
ACC Rejects Comments From Candace Owens And Will Not Attend Turning Point USA’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit. #ywls2018 #metoo
Full statement: https://t.co/dzWrEwY4tH pic.twitter.com/zvbPR2l6Bc
— American Conservation Coalition (ACC) (@ACC_National) June 12, 2018
TPUSA is an organization I know and love, but recent comments made by @RealCandaceO regarding sexual assault are unacceptable. For that reason the @ACC_National team has pulled out of YWLS.
Full statement: https://t.co/ePYxzJizmc pic.twitter.com/Zio6Ukm9r8
— Danielle Butcher (@DaniSButcher) June 12, 2018
I’m proud of the team at @ACC_National, and hope others recognize the importance of speaking out against comments like this. https://t.co/eFouLa8DhS
— Bethany Bowra (@BethanyBowra) June 12, 2018
There are a lot of good people who work with TPUSA, but the comments from @RealCandaceO went too far. Proud of @ACC_National for taking a stand. #YWLS2018 pic.twitter.com/GdU2piHmRj
— Bethany Bowra (@BethanyBowra) June 12, 2018
Many others took to Twitter to condemn the remarks by Owens.
.@RealCandaceO, you have a fast-growing platform and are an important voice for many young women. I’d love to get together while we are both at #YWLS2018 this weekend. As a survivor of rape, I respectfully disagree with your interpretation of #MeToo. https://t.co/nHVObCB6tJ
— Kimberly Corban (@Kimberly_Corban) June 11, 2018
Candace… this is a bad tweet. Rape and sexual assault most definitely happens and does not make someone stupid or weak. While I’m critical of the #MeToo movement for a few reasons… this most definitely isn’t one of them. Come on. https://t.co/LkAn9oBkPZ
— Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) June 11, 2018
Editor for The Daily Caller and Catholic Vote columnist, Amber Athey, spoke out against the Owens’ “ignorant take.”
As someone who has reported on the #MeToo movement and actually spoken with survivors, this is such an ignorant take. Many people did speak up or report the harassment/assault and their organizations turned them into the problem and protected their abusers. https://t.co/pKhChYVHlc
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) June 11, 2018
The Gateway Pundit’s Cassandra Fairbanks condemend the “bad tweet” by Owens.
Candace… this is a bad tweet. Rape and sexual assault most definitely happens and does not make someone stupid or weak. While I’m critical of the #MeToo movement for a few reasons… this most definitely isn’t one of them. Come on. https://t.co/LkAn9oBkPZ
— Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) June 11, 2018
As did the Herald Sun’s Rita Panahi and Judicial Watch’s Jerry Dunleavy, an alum of Sen. Ted Cruz’ presidential campaign.
Plenty wrong with the #metoo moment & it has been hijacked by activists but that doesn’t change the fact that powerful predators have sexually abused/harassed women, often with impunity. Blaming the victims for being victimised isn’t helpful.
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) June 11, 2018
Exactly wrong. The entire premise of #MeToo is that for far too long men like Weinstein & Schneiderman & Cosby & countless others have gotten away w/ sexual harassment, abuse, & assault — but because women are *smart, strong, & consequential* they can hold these men accountable. https://t.co/GB0kvXiX4Y
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) June 11, 2018
The “entire premise of #metoo”, similar to #domesticviolence, is that people who assault do so b/c of belief systems & power & control issues. It’s not b/c the victim is just so tempting/weak/promiscuous/etc. They’re allowed to continue b/c of #victimblaming stances like yours.
— No Domestic Violence In Martial Arts (@NoDvMartialArts) June 12, 2018
Conservatives. Be better than this.
This is an insanely ridiculous take.https://t.co/lmCBlysAz1
— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) June 11, 2018
What an awful remark. You are now no more than a troll looking for hits. You aren’t edgy. You aren’t enlightening. Your thirst for fame at any cost screams out with every tweet.
— Terry O’ (@IrishTea1) June 12, 2018
Owens did not address the controversy in a follow-up tweet.
No statement or apology from @TPUSA or @RealCandaceO regarding yesterday’s tweet storm.
Your silence is deafening.
— Calli Norton (@CalliNorton) June 12, 2018
Turning Point’s executive director and founder Charlie Kirk addressed the controversy with the group’s members in messages leaked to Mediaite.
here’s Charlie Kirk defending Candace Owens in a TPUSA GroupMe after she attacked victims of sexual misconduct. Kirk demanding that his activists “don’t publicly go after allies” is pretty funny considering all his bitching about “groupthink” pic.twitter.com/if8HpKlAq3
— Caleb Ecarma (@calebecarma) June 12, 2018
“Candace is a rockstar for conservatives and our movement,” Kirk wrote. “Don’t publicly go after allies. Message her here, message her privately, email her if you disagree.”
Owens reportedly also addressed the group in the chat, asking that Turning Point activists publicly defend her.
Candace Owens also privately asked TPUSA activists to defend her publicly after she was widely criticized for smearing the #MeToo movement, which is a very snow flakey move imo pic.twitter.com/jQu4Sg0Tc3
— Caleb Ecarma (@calebecarma) June 12, 2018
Owens also took to Periscope, posting a live stream in which she called out #MeToo as “a witch hunt on men.” Owens criticized the movement for “sowing division between men and women,” and called out those who “think I should apologize for not supporting movements that ultimately promote division.”
Why I don’t support #blm #metoo or #marchforourlives. (Herd mentality is toxic) https://t.co/XODJOZndxx
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 12, 2018
“I never once in my tweet said that rape victims are weak, you know? That’s a reading comprehension thing,” she said. “I said that the #MeToo movement was weak and that it was causing more harm than good and I stand by those sentiments. I think that all of these movements which may have been started off of something that was very authentic are now weak. I think that the greatest example is that the #MeToo movement has ultimately become a witch hunt on men.”
Owens was not without online support, however, as many had no problem understanding her intentions and the real message she was trying to get across about #MeToo. Twitter users came to her defense and criticized the knee-jerk reactions, especially from the American Conservative Coalition.
Haste makes waste. In this case, your haste (and misunderstanding of Ms Owens’ tweet) is leading you to make a bad decision & waste an opportunity to make a difference w/ a population you say you care about. I recommend you speak w/Ms Owens to clear this up. Take a breath.
— PolitenessHelps (@CreateCivility) June 12, 2018
Bye – if you didn’t get her point. Then the event is probably to advance for you
— Zip? (@zip_zip_zip_3) June 12, 2018
Ah, never mind, I see that @BenjiBacker who runs this organization is a #NeverTrump-er so now I’m no longer shocked his letter blatantly lies about what @RealCandaceO said. You won’t be missed:https://t.co/M43oLt8AaN
— Michael (@Michael2014abc) June 12, 2018
Someone says something you disagree with so pick up your ball and go home. If you were real conservatives you would welcome the opportunity to discuss and challenge her ideas. Maybe even change her mind. Your response is gutless and yes… liberal!
— International Dave of Pancakes (@WazzuDave87) June 12, 2018
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