Michael Reagan, adopted son of President Ronald Reagan and his first wife Jane Wyman, has some very strong feelings about sexual harassment ― though he seemingly has no understanding of what sexual harassment is.
Late Thursday night, Reagan posted two tweets, both alluding to Fox News’ termination of Bill O’Reilly after a slew of allegations of workplace sexual harassment were made public.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that Fox and O’Reilly had settled five suits ― which included allegations of “verbal abuse, lewd comments, unwanted advances and phone calls in which it sounded as if Mr. O’Reilly was masturbating” ― and paid out a collective $13 million to the accusers. On Tuesday, another woman came forward, alleging that O’Reilly leered at her and called her “hot chocolate.”
Reagan, a 72-year-old white man, decided that he was an appropriate messenger to let women of color know that being called “hot choclare” by a male superior at the office isn’t sexist, racist harassment ― it’s merely a compliment.
Hot Choclare used to be a compliment on your looks today it is called sexual harassment..@oreillyfactor
— Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) April 21, 2017
Five minutes later, Reagan decided he had more to say ― this time, about sexual harassment writ large.
“If women are going to wear low cut dresses that show cleavage don’t be harassed when we men look,” he tweeted.
If women are going to wear low cut dresses that show cleavage don’t be harassed when we men look.Or shld we sue for sexual arousal?
— Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) April 21, 2017
You hear that, women? If men leer at you, it’s most certainly just a compliment and/or the uncontrollable nature of male sexuality, which you have likely set off with your outfit!
We would like to direct Reagan to the U.S. government’s definition of sexual harassment. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment is defined as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.”