GTFO, Tucker Max

I recently learned that known asshole, scumbag, and misogynist, Tucker Max lives in my lovely city of Austin, Texas. A piece of my soul died.

If you'd like evidence of why I think he's so horrible, you can follow what Jill at Feministe is covering about his attempt to donate $500,000 to Planned Parenthood here in Texas, which was rejected by the organization, here and here.


As she wrote:

Planned Parenthood was in between a rock and a hard place: Accept much-needed money but open themselves up to another attack that could result in their losing significantly more than $500,000 in state and federal funds, or refuse much-needed money but cover their asses. They decided to avoid the risk that comes from taking money from Tucker Max — because if they took that money, their broader mission could be even more severely impeded. Believe me, Planned Parenthood is the last organization to be judgmental of an individual’s personal and sexual choices. But they do have to protect themselves, and they have been under siege for the past few years. There are entire organizations and large numbers of politicians who have made it their mission to destroy Planned Parenthood. PP can’t afford to take unnecessary risks. Unnecessary risks can mean that the organization ceases to exist. That impedes their mission a hell of a lot more than not having an additional $500,000.

It can be tempting to think that because Planned Parenthood so often loses government funding due to political ploys (like most recent one here in Texas) that they should jump at every financial opportunity. But Jill is right. This isn’t about about Planned Parenthood haphazardly rejecting a donation. It’s about their concerns that saddling up with Tucker Max will have really negative ramifications, that far outweigh the benefits of his money. For example, there are probably thousands of small to medium PP donors like me who would be extremely upset and disappointed if they had a clinic named after him.

At the end of the day Tucker Max is a man who has made his money through misogyny. And Planned Parenthood has every right to reject funding on moral grounds. I mean, that's nonprofit fundraising 101 stuff and anyone who is confused about it probably doesn't know much about how the nonprofit sector actually works. They probably feel that us nonprofits workers should always be in begging mode, but in reality we have the right to conduct our business with dignity, professionalism, and ethics just like anyone else. For example, an international development organization doesn't have to take money from a clothing manufacturer who feels bad about their unfair wage practices and wants to donate. They are allowed to think about the ramifications of that donation and say no.

So good on Planned Parenthood for telling Max to take his misogyny dollars elsewhere.

As Jill also pointed out, Max could have easily made an anonymous donation if he truly cared about women. But instead he has turned this into a whole attention seeking boo-hoo-fest. It, yet again, makes the content of his character REAL obvious. There is nothing redeeming to him. Nothing.

I'd really love it if he would go far, far away and never be heard of again. Can't we all agree that his time in the spotlight was really confusing in the first place and is now certainly over?