Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz's attempt to body-shame a teenage pro-choice activist backfired when she capitalized on his attack and raised more than $550,000 for reproductive rights access in the process.
Gaetz was called out over the weekend after he said women who "look like a thumb" shouldn't concern themselves with advocating for abortion rights.
Gaetz's remarks were his latest dig at reproductive rights activists since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that once protected a person's right to choose reproductive healthcare without excessive government restriction.
During a speech he gave at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa over the weekend, Gaetz said "women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions" at "pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies."
He suggested instead of marching at rallies, unattractive women should "march for like an hour a day" and "get the blood pumpin'."
Olivia Julianna, 19, later responded to Gaetz's comments, specifically his claim that "odious... 5'2 350 pound women" rally for reproductive rights even though they're the ones who "nobody wants to impregnate."
She noted that she is 5'11"—and 6'4" in heels, which she wears "so the small men like you are reminded of your place."
She added that in her personal experience, Republican men are the ones "who grovel for attention the most" and that they "LOVE to go after women on the left."
\u201cBtw the narrative Republican men are putting forward saying that \u201cnobody\u201d wants to sleep with us is not only a lie\u2014 but I can confirm from PERSONAL experience that it\u2019s the Republican men who grovel for attention the most. And they LOVE to go after women on the left. Weirdos.\u201d— Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3 (@Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3) 1658686805
Gaetz later responded by taking a screenshot of Julianna's Twitter profile picture and referring to her as "dander raised."
\u201cDander raised\u2026\u201d— Matt Gaetz (@Matt Gaetz) 1658710265
Gaetz's attack presented Julianna with an opportunity, and she announced she would be fundraising for the youth-led nonprofit Gen-Z for Change, which splits donations across abortion funds in all 50 states "where services are most needed."
She pointed out that the last time she brought attention to an online attack, contributors managed to raise "a few thousand dollars."
\u201cLast time I received hate we raised a few thousand dollars. Let\u2019s see if we can do that again! \n\nhttps://t.co/Lr7ki5Hmwz\u201d— Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3 (@Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3) 1658799319
Contributors outdid themselves this time, raising more than $550,000 as of this writing.
Many people praised Julianna for speaking out, including Hillary Clinton, and some attacked Gaetz in the process.
\u201cThank you @HillaryClinton. \nWe\u2019ve now raised over $555K \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3 (@Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3) 1659014965
\u201cYou are a warrior!\u201d— Julie Peterson (@Julie Peterson) 1658885365
\u201cThis is how to fight back!\n\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f @0liviajulianna\u201d— Liz McClure (@Liz McClure) 1658865639
\u201cYou go girl! Thanks for representing millions of women and the people who love them.\u201d— \ud835\udc9e\ud835\udcb6\ud835\udcc9\ud835\udcbd \ud83c\udf80 \u262e \ud83c\udf3b \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud835\udc9e\ud835\udcb6\ud835\udcc9\ud835\udcbd \ud83c\udf80 \u262e \ud83c\udf3b \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1658816515
\u201cKeep it up, Olivia! I stand with you! Good trouble!\u201d— Kate Dempsey (@Kate Dempsey) 1658824136
\u201cHere's my latest hero!\u201d— Lunch Lady (@Lunch Lady) 1658835185
\u201cMatt Gaetz doesn't scare them with his personal attacks, go #GenZ\u201d— \ud835\udd39\ud835\udd63\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd5f\ud835\udd64\ud835\udd43\ud835\udd60\ud835\udd67\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd55\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd60\ud835\udd58\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd5e\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd64 \ud83d\udd4a\u267f\ufe0f\ud83d\udc99 (@\ud835\udd39\ud835\udd63\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd5f\ud835\udd64\ud835\udd43\ud835\udd60\ud835\udd67\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd55\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd60\ud835\udd58\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd5e\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd64 \ud83d\udd4a\u267f\ufe0f\ud83d\udc99) 1658848055
\u201cPlease donate to support abortion services. And then donate again as an f you to Matt Gaetz.\u201d— P Patrick Hogan (@P Patrick Hogan) 1658860701
\u201cThe kids are all right.\u201d— Lprobus (@Lprobus) 1658878203
Gaetz's attack denigrating reproductive rights activists' appearances brings to mind a similar remark he made in May shortly after a leaked draft opinion indicated the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization would move to strike down Roe.
Gaetz was heavily criticized after he referred to pro-choice activists as "over-educated, under-loved millennials" and suggested they're angry about a rightward shift in reproductive rights only because they can't get matches on dating apps.
Writing on Twitter, he said women protesting the fall of Roe will likely "sadly return from protests to a lonely microwave dinner with their cats" and "no matches" on Bumble, a popular online dating application.
