A University of Tennessee student found herself facing severe backlash over a graduation photo that went viral. The photo features the student—Brenna Spencer—wearing a pro-Trump T-shirt while displaying a firearm. The caption reads, “I don’t take normal graduation photos.” Twitter instantly lit up with criticism and attacks on Brenna Spencer. Social media users blasted the 22-year-old over her “ignorant” and “attention-seeking” post. Part of the problem liberals had with the photo is the fact that Spencer was lifting her shirt to expose her stomach to show she was carrying. She explained on her Twitter account that she was actually wearing a belly belt.
Of course, I didn’t see any women’s rights activists or groups going to bat for Brenna Spencer. One particular news outlet even referred to her photo as “provocative.” Let’s explore that for a moment. Spencer had lifted her T-shirt up just enough to show that she was carrying. She’s a very beautiful young woman and very much in shape. Her abs were exposed and that’s it. Seriously, in the age where naked protesters are lunging at Bill Cosby from the bushes, this is what sends social media into a tizzy?
ABC News called the police on my friend, Brenna Spencer (probably hoping to get a better story).
Here I am in solidarity with Brenna, also carrying in public. We will NOT allow for Leftist intimidation tactics to hinder our inalienable #2A rights. pic.twitter.com/qzv9adtm9G
— Alana Mastrangelo (@ARmastrangelo) April 11, 2018
It’s important to add that Brenna Spencer is a conservative woman. A scroll through her Twitter page makes that pretty evident. She’s a young lady who speaks her mind and has convictions. She supports President Trump and other like-minded politicians and personalities. It’s clear that she’s passionate about politics and the Second Amendment. She’s a woman who is about to graduate from college and is speaking her truth and standing by her beliefs. Were she a Democrat posting a picture of herself with nothing on while wearing a pink you-know-what hat with both middle fingers up, she’d be normal.
I was disturbed to see the number of women who participated in the attacks on Spencer. As a society, we’ve embraced a woman’s right to choose, equal pay, and even prostitution. I’m not a conservative woman, but I support empowering women. I see nothing wrong with Brenna Spencer’s photo. It’s sad to see her come under fire for showing a fraction of her body when liberal society otherwise embraces women exposing their bodies. There have been countless campaigns encouraging obesity in the name of “we are all beautiful.” Yet, this woman can’t express her views in her own creative way without being dragged across Twitter for baring her stomach and firearm.
Spencer seems to have taken it all in stride, though. In fact, one reason she posted the photo was to empower women to be their own first line of defense. As sexual assault continues to plague college campuses, more women are choosing to exercise their right to bear arms. This is an example of a brave woman in America exercising both her First and Second Amendment rights in the current political climate. Spencer wasn’t without her supporters, though. Several women posted similar pictures with their weapon of choice in solidarity with Brenna Spencer. So-called feminists should be ashamed for remaining silent.
