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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(133,889 posts)
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 02:38 PM 1 hr ago

Trump told a female reporter to smile. Why women aren't happy about it

At a press conference in the Oval Office this week, President Donald Trump berated CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for “not smiling” after she asked about the Justice Department’s investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

-snip-

Women who have been told to smile throughout their careers sounded off on social media.

“It has never been a good idea to tell women to smile more,” Caroline Dettman, chief marketing officer and head of growth operations at World Business Chicago, wrote on LinkedIn. “Even if it isn’t intended, the way it lands is both disrespectful and misogynist. I know because I’ve been told to smile more my entire career by bosses, clients, partners and colleagues.”

Is asking a woman to smile sexist?

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham have often been scrutinized for not smiling for paparazzi photos. During her 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton was told to smile more. Serena Williams was asked why she wasn't smiling after defeating her sister Venus in a hard-fought quarterfinal match. Actress Millie Bobby Brown was told to smile by a photographer on the red carpet for “Stranger Things.” “Smile? You smile,” she responded.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-told-female-reporter-smile-183819869.html

I know no reporter would say this, but I would have loved if she responded, "Why are you always so pissy assed?"

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump told a female reporter to smile. Why women aren't happy about it (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin 1 hr ago OP
My worst example was mercuryblues 1 hr ago #1
I'm a man, but I feel like if I were a woman and someone said that to me I'd probably slap them sboatcar 1 hr ago #2
That's exactly what we feel like doing,yes Diamond_Dog 46 min ago #5
Insecure people sometimes only feel comfortable around people who smile all the time. Omnipresent 1 hr ago #3
See...Women Are Supposed to Always Be Happy or at Least Content. MineralMan 53 min ago #4
Wow, MM. Thats a great response! I wish I'd known it when I was younger. Diamond_Dog 43 min ago #7
Probably, after he picked his jaw off the floor. MineralMan 36 min ago #9
Oh yeah. mercuryblues 31 min ago #11
DING DING DING!!! 2naSalit 36 min ago #8
I've seen that a few times, too. MineralMan 34 min ago #10
Ya gotta wonder... 2naSalit 24 min ago #12
THIS just proves beyond doubt how TSF feels about woman. That's why bluestarone 46 min ago #6

mercuryblues

(16,231 posts)
1. My worst example was
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 02:47 PM
1 hr ago

On my way to my Grandfather's funeral, I was in the checkout line, buying a bag of ice. Same random asshole told me that I would be a whole lot prettier if I smiled.

FFS.

sboatcar

(798 posts)
2. I'm a man, but I feel like if I were a woman and someone said that to me I'd probably slap them
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 02:55 PM
1 hr ago

Diamond_Dog

(40,067 posts)
5. That's exactly what we feel like doing,yes
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:17 PM
46 min ago

I have had complete strangers (male) come up to me and tell me to “Smile!” (Of course when I was younger)

I always felt like saying Really …. Just leave me the f- - - alone! Who asked you?

Omnipresent

(7,341 posts)
3. Insecure people sometimes only feel comfortable around people who smile all the time.
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:03 PM
1 hr ago

Trump is the king of insecure people!

MineralMan

(150,863 posts)
4. See...Women Are Supposed to Always Be Happy or at Least Content.
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:09 PM
53 min ago

They're not supposed to get angry or worry or be disappointed in something some man has done. That's what men think. Women beg to differ. They have an entire range of emotions that may be reflected on their faces.

Nobody tells men not to frown or look angry. That's OK if you're a man, see. If you're a woman, though, such displays of emotion are troubling to men. And women are not ever supposed to trouble men. Or so the illogic goes.

If I were a woman, I'd be pissed if some moronic asshole told me to smile when I wasn't in a smiling place. I might respond, "Blow your smile out your ass, you creep." That might move the dickhead away from me.

Diamond_Dog

(40,067 posts)
7. Wow, MM. Thats a great response! I wish I'd known it when I was younger.
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:19 PM
43 min ago

I’ll bet if I said that to some asshole to told me to smile, he’d probably counter it with “Bitch!”

mercuryblues

(16,231 posts)
11. Oh yeah.
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:32 PM
31 min ago

You're a bitch or a lesbian. Why else wouldn't you smile for a manly man, on demand. My personal favorite was "you must be on the rag" if you told them to fuck off.

2naSalit

(100,931 posts)
8. DING DING DING!!!
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:27 PM
36 min ago

It goes beyond that. It's what abusers say to their victims, they have to smile so others won't trouble themselves to ask what's wrong. That way the victim has no place to tell. So smile, little girl/young lady/little missy, you look much prettier when you smile.

(I wouldn't expect you to know that part since you're probably not an abuser. Girls and women who have been there know what it means.)



MineralMan

(150,863 posts)
10. I've seen that a few times, too.
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:28 PM
34 min ago

It's a wonder men and women ever manage to get together, I think.

2naSalit

(100,931 posts)
12. Ya gotta wonder...
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:38 PM
24 min ago

Makes me think of a cartoon, might have been Far Side, where god is constructing man from ingredients in jars and he somehow adds extra jerks.

bluestarone

(21,631 posts)
6. THIS just proves beyond doubt how TSF feels about woman. That's why
Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:17 PM
46 min ago

he RAPES them. THEY have no choice at anything. HIS WAY or the HI-WAY!!

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