By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The infamous Access Hollywood tape of Donald Trump boasting about sexually assaulting women has resurfaced, with many Gen Z voters rediscovering it. Young people are using TikTok to react to the footage, expressing shock and encouraging others to view it. Despite the seeming desensitization of the public toward Trump’s countless scandals, Gen Z’s fresh perspective serves as a reminder of the severity of his past indiscretions. The author urges not to forget the multiple allegations against Trump, including him being found civilly liable for sexually assaulting journalist E. Jean Carroll and accused by at least 21 other women. The author concludes by highlighting the potential power of a new generation of political actors, underscoring the need for continued remembering and reckoning.
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The recent shock many in Gen-Z feel about Trump’s Access Hollywood video is not just surprising—it’s completely warranted. Our generation, having grown up with the internet’s capacity to share and amplify moments, is perhaps used to seeing the unvarnished truth about public figures. Yet, the visceral reactions I see now to this outdated but crucial footage highlight an important reality: the normalization of horrendous behavior in our political landscape.
This video—where Trump casually discusses groping women as though it’s a badge of honor—should have sealed his fate back in 2016. Instead, it whispered into the air, brushed aside by supporters who chose to overlook its implications to support a disturbing narrative. This isn’t just “locker room talk.” It’s a chilling endorsement of toxic masculinity and disregard for consent. If Gen-Z is shocked, it’s because this casual violence against women is still something the public tolerates, or—worse yet—ignores. Those who brush it off or justify such behavior, like my own mother who once claimed Trump was “a born-again Christian,” exhibit a frightening disconnection from reality.
Shock, however, comes with a responsibility. It must translate into action, particularly at the polls. History has shown the consequences of complacency. A significant portion of the electorate, perhaps defined by privilege, didn’t view Trump’s comments as the profound moral failure they were. They saw only their self-interest. “Will he save me a dime on gas?” was their anthem, while others are left grappling with the long-lasting fallout of his detrimental policies, particularly regarding women’s rights and healthcare.
I think about how many young women I know and how they fundamentally expect, need, and rightfully demand verbal confirmation of consent in their lives. Yet somehow a significant section of the electorate has shrugged off Trump’s words as inconsequential. I can’t wrap my head around it. Are young voters simply unaware of the stakes involved? Perhaps, but I also feel this could be an awakening moment for many of them, one that could galvanize an entirely new kind of voter engagement. Sharing the video alone isn’t enough. We need more conversations, more outrage, and most importantly—more votes.
The reality is that the political landscape is littered with whataboutisms and a barrage of lies, leading many to dismiss the magnitude of Trump’s actions as merely a symptom of “bad politics.” This is not about partisanship; it’s about a fundamental respect for human dignity. The same people who engage with derogatory stereotypes or silence women’s voices through gaslighting are often the ones voting against their best interests.
Even now, it can be hard to believe that many in Gen-Z had not known the details or even the existence of this video before recent viral resurfaces. The way they engage with political news is driven often by impressions and soundbites rather than in-depth understanding. I can’t help but feel there’s a mass ignorance perpetuated by a media cycle willing to bury narratives that should define a candidate’s character. With each election cycle, as the bar for acceptable behavior is lowered, we find ourselves collectively grappling with what this means for our values and ethics as a nation.
The true tragedy is that there’s a saturation of information about Trump—scandals, accusations, and outright admissions of abuse—but his followers seem unmoved. This numbness leads others like us to believe we’re living in a moral dystopia where scandalous behavior is met with a shrug. Seeing Gen-Z express horror is a stark reminder that we have to keep the urgency alive. Remind everyone that this isn’t just “old news.” It has impact; it has consequences.
The Access Hollywood video isn’t just an echo from the past; it’s an ongoing indictment of reckless leadership. It’s vital for young voters to connect the dots between Trump’s disgusting words and the impact they have had—not just on women, but on the political discourse and governance as a whole. The worst realization is that shock is not enough if it doesn’t spur action, and the time for action is now. Voting isn’t just a right; it’s a necessity. If we let our shock fade without movement, we risk allowing history to repeat itself at the cost of countless lives and livelihoods.
This moment belongs to Gen-Z. I urge each member of this generation to harness their disbelief and transform it into something powerful. Don’t just stop at shock: use it as fuel for engagement. Help create a voter base that refuses to normalize alarming behavior. Hold elected officials accountable, not just for grandstanding on issues but for their fundamental character and respect they show to all citizens. If we can do this together, we can create a landscape where respect, dignity, and consent are non-negotiable—the world we owe to ourselves and future generations.