Today, Co-Chairs of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Congresswomen Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21) and Brenda L. Lawrence (MI-14), and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Deb Haaland (NM-01), sent a letter to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging him to swiftly condemn the misogynistic comments made by Members of his party and maintain the decorum that is expected by Members and candidates alike.

“Most recently, a candidate for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District called the Speaker of the House a “b****,” and Congressman Ted Yoho referred to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as ‘disgusting’ and a ‘f****** b****.’ These misogynistic slurs disgrace the office each of us hold, and send a powerful message to women and girls that there are still those who will seek to cut them down not by challenging the substance of their ideas, but with vile personal attacks rooted in a history of violence and exclusion of women,” the Members wrote.  “For all the gains made in recent years, women continue to represent only 24 percent of Congress. As you know all too well, very few Republican women serve in Congress. It is incumbent on all of us to make sure decorum is maintained by Members and candidates alike and that women are not subject to these hateful slights.”

The Members continued, “As we celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment recognizing women’s right to vote, you may be surprised to learn that the word “b****” was popularized during the suffrage movement to denigrate and diminish women. In fact, between 1915 and 1930, the use of the word “b****” more than doubled in newspapers and literature. As we commemorate women’s suffrage, let’s not forget how much farther we have to go to achieve women’s equality with regard to paycheck fairness, pregnancy discrimination, freedom from violence, and women’s leadership and representation. We must hold ourselves to the high standard expected by our constituents. That starts with you condemning, in no uncertain terms, these and other comments that use misogynistic slurs and seek to debase women.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

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