Townsend Questions Topless Protester’s Tactics, “Who Stood Up In Defense Of Morality”

Rep. Kelly Townsend has come under fire for a comment she made on Facebook after the Women’s March on Sunday in Phoenix. Townsend dared to question the wisdom of one protester who bared her breasts.

Townsend, who has been very vocal in support of the #metoo movement, posted on Facebook:

On my way into the Capitol yesterday I could hear someone on the stage at the women’s rally talking about how she hopes one day women will be respected and not raped and not sexually harassed and that women will be taken seriously at long last. I COULDN’T HELP AGREEING WITH HER. Apparently, there was also this woman in attendance who was surrounded by people and chanting as she fondled her own naked breasts in moral defiance. Our grandchildren may very well live in a world where the pendulum has swung so far that they actually long for a day when their own children will not be exposed to such debauchery and lewdness. They will ask the question, “Who stood up in defense of morality and goodness?” I hope the history books say it was I who gave a warning to women everywhere that if you continue down this path you will have no defense when you are sexually harassed or even worse, raped.

#PutYourShirtOn

Townsend’s words were immediately interpreted by political opponents as victim blaming. Critics claimed that Townsend was suggesting that women, who dressed or acted in a provocative manner, deserved to be raped.

Townsend said that women being lewd publicly are putting themselves at risk. “No, she didn’t ask for it,” Townsend told ABC15 referring to the woman in the video, “but it is a reality that I don’t know that anybody is brave enough to point out and I’m willing to do that.”