2 Nov, 2018 14:17

#GrabThemByTheBallot: Women strip to entice anti-Trump voters to the polls (PHOTOS)

A nude photo shoot aimed at encouraging anti-Trump voters to go to the polls in November has received mixed reviews on social media, with some saying the birthday-suited women have hurt their own cause.

#GrabThemByTheBallot features a group of “courageous Vermont women” who have chosen to use “vulnerable artistic expression” to promote women’s rights and sexual expression, according to the campaign’s mission statement. The models who participated in the project vary in age, size, and race. The diverse cast includes a pregnant woman and a transgender woman who goes by the initial ‘Z’.

The campaign’s creator, Dawn Robertson, told the Daily Mail that the photos are part of a larger movement pushing back against the Trump administration.

“With the Kavanaugh nomination and MeToo and Trump, women are rising everywhere,” she said. “I hope that the pictures encourage women and marginalized communities to vote. I want them to know that their voice matters and this is serious s***.”

The provocative photo shoot has not been well received on social media, however. The group’s Facebook page has been flooded with trolls and negative comments – many of them predicting that the campaign’s stated mission will backfire spectacularly.

“I'm voting Republican, just because of the freaks,” one rather uncouth Facebook user wrote.

The women didn’t fare much better on Twitter.

Elon Musk is right we must be living in a simulation. You would have to be programmed to think this is a good idea. No one with free will would think this would work. We are in the matrix. I want out!
— Michael Jefferies (@mjefferies01) November 2, 2018

Ugh. So what is the next cheap stunt to try and shock and gain people’s attention? Maybe first establish an argument that is convincing rather than trying to grab attention via theatrics.
— Rohan Cassanova (@irishswamp) November 2, 2018

This is meant to do what? Democrats already fired up to vote, Republicans just laugh at this.Is it supposed to convince independents?Doesn't seem like this would work.Who is this for????
— Harris Sinclair (@Pandahjs) November 2, 2018

Still, some noted that the controversial photo campaign has at least got people talking about voting.

While I agree with others that this is silly, is at least got people talking about voting. Perhaps this idea should be clothed in reality and redesigned.
— Jessica Lewis (@Jthemom) November 1, 2018

The bare-all hashtag trend was inspired by a similar concept launched in 2016, #GrabHimByTheBallot, which featured nude women “grabbing back” at Donald Trump. In a now-infamous audio recording leaked during the election, Trump is heard boasting about how famous men such as himself can “grab [women] by the p*ussy. You can do anything.”