Trump Supporters Tweet #repealthe19th After Release of New Poll

By Caroline King 10/17/16

Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight released two polls showing how the election would turn out if only men or only women voted. The results showed that if only male votes counted Donald Trump would win the White House with Hillary Clinton winning if only females voted.

This poll sparked immediate backlash on Twitter, with Trump supporters starting the hashtag #repealthe19th. The hashtag refers to the 19th Amendment, which was ratified 96 years ago and gave women the right to vote. Clinton becoming the Democratic nominee marks the first time in United States history a woman has clinched a major party nomination. Which makes the rise of #repealthe19th feel all the more ironic.

This hashtag follows the “Access Hollywood” tape scandal, which exposed what many are calling vulgar comments made by Donald Trump about sexually assaulting women. The Trump campaign is working hard to mend the relationship between Trump and female voters and this trend could not come at a worse time. However, men and women alike have been using the hashtag. Unlikely as it is that the 19th Amendment will be repealed, supporters of equal voting rights are not pleased with the trend, using the hashtag out of disbelief and mockery.