North Texas Daily

Content warning: this article contains language and content related to sexual assault, harassment. Reader discretion is advised.

The values of believing sexual assault survivors, which are core to the #MeToo movement, won’t be upheld if the Democratic Party turns a blind eye to Joe Biden’s sexual assault allegations. 

After the 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump, anyone who flipped on a television or scrolled through social media saw the immense backlash to his election with the 2017 Women’s March. Protestors adorned in knitted, bright pink caps called “pussyhats” took to the streets across the country, making the day the largest single mass demonstration in U.S. history. 

The Women’s March was the culmination of the #MeToo movement that began trending in response to multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations against many powerful and famous celebrities. Film producer Harvey Weinstein, comedian Bill Cosby and USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar all have been convicted for sexually assaulting numerous women.

The #MeToo movement’s momentum grew stronger and began to raise awareness that Donald Trump has been accused of some form of sexual misconduct, harassment or assault by 26 women. With Trump’s past facing scrutiny, Democrats latched onto #MeToo and channeled the hashtag’s energy against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.       

With the vacancy left on the Supreme Court’s bench because of Mitch McConnell’s successful scheme to block Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland, Donald Trump appointed Brett Kavanaugh, who has sexual assault allegations from at least four different women. Democrats argued that Kavanaugh’s conservative record was not the reason to object to his nomination, but it was their duty as elected officials to believe victims.  

Senator Elizabeth Warren addressed the Senate floor with her objections: “Now my colleagues on the other side of the aisle saw the same hearing. They watched Dr. Ford sit through hours of testimony. They heard her when she said clearly and unequivocally that she was 100 percent sure Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her.” 

Protests against Kavanaugh’s nomination occurred across the nation, including one that took place at UNT. Ultimately, Kavanaugh was confirmed with 48 Democrats voting no. 

Democrats did not falter and continued to support #MeToo with the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate between Democrat Doug Jones and the Republican, Judge Roy Moore, who had multiple sexual assault allegations involving minors. Jones defeated Moore by a thin margin of 21,311 votes and the Democratic Party claimed victory for keeping a sexual predator out of office. 

The Democratic Party held true to its word when a photograph of Democratic senator Al Franken was leaked of him pretending to inappropriately grope model Leeann Tweeden while she was asleep. Holding true to its word, the pressure from the party forced Al Franken’s resignation. 

All this goodwill was broken by the Democratic Party with Joe Biden’s nomination.

Biden faces allegations of sexual assault from Tara Reade who used to work on Biden’s senate staff in the 90s. Reade filled a complaint form reporting the sexual assault, believed that the document was being held at the University of Delaware and requested for the document’s release. 

Biden responded: “My archives do not contain personal files… the Senate controls those archives.”  He then called on the secretary of the U.S. Senate to search through the archives, but the senatorial records the University of Delaware does possess is currently thousands of boxes and hundreds of gigabytes of uncatalogued data. 

Party insiders have hypocritically abandoned the #MeToo value of believing survivors and have argued that Biden’s 2008 vetting process to become vice president is proof enough that he had never assaulted Reade.  

When asked if Biden remembered Reade he belittled her: “to be honest with you, I don’t.” 

If Biden truly believes that Reade’s allegations are false then his campaign would be eager to provide evidence proving him innocent and end the stalling that is keeping his senatorial records from being released. 

Reade is not the first woman to step forward against Biden’s behavior showing that he has a potential pattern of sexual misconduct that spans his entire career.  

Lucy Flores, who ran for lieutenant governor of Nevada, said Biden kissed her without consent on the back of her neck during an event in 2015. 

Stephanie Carter was also groped by Biden during the swearing-in ceremony for her husband and Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. Biden had both of his hands placed firmly on her shoulders and she was visibly uncomfortable. 

It is clear that Biden has a history of touching women inappropriately and without consent in public settings and more information must be made available about what he has been alleged of in private. There needs to be a full investigation into Biden’s past and until these allegations are adequately addressed, the Democratic Party has no justification to the claim that they are the party that listens to survivors.  

Featured Illustration by Olivia Varnell