‘Grab Her By the Brain’ Movement Aims to Support Gender Equality. But Critics Say its Slogan Misses the Point

A new movement called Grab Her By The Brain set out to fight gender inequality, but many have criticized it on social media by questioning why a woman needs to be grabbed at all.

Described on its website as a movement that aims to “to confront gender inequality with an unparalleled positivity and enthusiasm,” with its goal being “to implement school programs to encourage the empowerment, individuality and tolerance of gender equality.” Its slogan mirrors Donald Trump’s controversial comment about “grabbing [women] by the p-ssy,” that he made during a conversation with Billy Bush from entertainment show Access Hollywood, which was recorded in 2005 and released by the Washington Post on Oct. 8.

The founder is an entrepreneur, activist and domestic violence survivor named Elizabeth Ariosto, according to the website, and ambassadors include the English actor and Disney star Gregg Sulkin. Each month, the website said, 10% of the money raised from sales of a $21 baseball cap reading “Grab Her By The Brains” will go to a designated charity; this month it’s one that two ambassadors sit on the board of, Boo2Bullying.

Following Sulkin’s tweet, where he wrote that he was “honored to take part” in the movement, many on social media criticized the Grab Her By The Brain’s slogan.

“I would run as fast as I can from a dude wearing a hat that says “Grab Her By the Brain,” wrote one Twitter user, while another added “or maybe don’t grab us at all cause we’re human beings not objects to be attained?”

 

Write to Kate Samuelson at kate.samuelson@time.com.