A Christian pastor was the subject of backlash and a viral hashtag #DearBrian after he expressed his thoughts regarding what women shouldn’t post online.
Brian Sauvé, who works at Refuge Church in Ogden, Utah, was accused of being sexist towards women this week when he tweeted: “Dear Ladies, there is no reason whatsoever for you to post pictures of yourself in low cut shirts, bikinis, bra and underwear, or anything similar - ever.
He continued: “Not to show your weight loss journey. Not to show your newborn baby. Not to document your birth story - Your Brothers.”
The controversial tweet received more than 19,000 replies from users arguing against Sauvé’s sentiment. The pastor’s claim also prompted the creation of the hashtag #DearBrian, which began to trend on the platform as women used it to share photos of themselves embracing their bodies in an act of defiance against Sauvé’s tweet.
One Twitter user wrote: “Dear Brian, there is no reason whatsoever for you to post your opinions on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or anything similar - ever. Not to share your misogynist thoughts. Not to reveal your lack of self-control. Not to document your perverse worldviews. - The internet.”
“It’s never occurred to these guys how many things women do for each other or themselves, no male approval necessary, expected, or quite frankly wanted,” tweeted writer Erin Ryan.
Following the backlash, Sauvé responded to the outrage from “liberal feminists” with even more tweets condemning the “sexual temptation” men are faced with when women “parade their bottoms and breasts in front of you.”
As a result, the #DearBrian hashtag prompted members of the religion to issue a clarification on Twitter that not all Christian pastors share the same opinions.
“Dear Brian, pastors like you are why the Church is known for misogyny and the subjugation of women more than empathy and equity,” said @johnpavlovitz. “You should try the sacred ministry of minding your own damn business.”
The Independent has contacted Sauvé for comment.
