Current and former professional athletes have spoken out after Donald Trump defended his comments on using fame to grope women without their consent as “locker room” talk during Sunday’s presidential debate.
“As an athlete, I’ve been in locker rooms my entire adult life and uh, that’s not locker room talk,” Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Doolittle wrote on Twitter. Many others echoed his sentiments.
The lewd comments made by Trump in 2005 resurfaced on Friday in a tape obtained by the Washington Post. In a conversation with TV host Billy Bush, Trump described trying to seduce a married woman and said when he meets beautiful women, he feels able to “grab them by the pussy”.
“When you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything,” Trump said.
The remarks led many Republicans to rescind their endorsements for the presidential nominee and call for him to withdraw from the race. Many women spoke out about their own sexual assaults on Twitter.
Trump issued a statement and video response apologizing for his remarks and dismissing them as “locker room banter”.
When asked about the comments during the presidential debate, Trump repeatedly described his comments as “locker room talk”. Male athletes felt the need to set the record straight, based on their own experiences in locker rooms.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers, when asked by TMZ about Trump’s comments, quipped : “That’s a new locker room for me.”
Please stop saying "locker room talk"
— Jacob Tamme (@JacobTamme) October 10, 2016
It's not normal. And even if it were normal, it's not right. https://t.co/RQUWJJBSTn
— Jacob Tamme (@JacobTamme) October 10, 2016
Locker room?
— Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) October 10, 2016
I haven't heard that one in any locker rooms https://t.co/Ci8NXOgFcI
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) October 10, 2016
Just for reference. I work in a locker room (every day)... that is not locker room talk. Just so you know...
— Chris Conley (@_flight17_) October 10, 2016
Have I been in every locker room? No. But the guys I know and respect don't talk like that. They talk about girls but not like that. Period.
— Chris Conley (@_flight17_) October 10, 2016
PSA: sexual advances without consent is NOT locker room talk.
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) October 10, 2016
Claiming Trump's comments are "locker room banter" is to suggest they are somehow acceptable. They aren't.
— Dahntay (@dahntay1) October 9, 2016
That's not locker room talk.
— Tom Crabtree (@itsCrab) October 10, 2016
All this heavy breathing seems more locker room-esque than anything #debate
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) October 10, 2016
I'm offended as an athlete that @realDonaldTrump keeps using this "locker room talk" as an excuse.
— Robbie Rogers (@robbierogers) October 10, 2016
