Bouldin to Baldasaro: ‘Stop lying, dude’
The war of words between state Reps. Amanda Bouldin (D-Manchester) and Al Baldasaro (R-Londonderry) over legislation that would criminalize female toplessness continues to play out in social media.
In the latest exchange, the Londonderry lawmaker accused Bouldin of saying she wanted to show him her breasts. She responded by calling Baldasaro a liar and “a huge disappointment to the people who have admired you.”
The controversy, widely covered by the national media, began last week when Bouldin expressed opposition to the proposed legislation on her Facebook page. One of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Josh Moore (R-Merrimack), defended the proposal. “I have obviously have more respect for a woman and her innocence and decency than women who are support public nudity,” he wrote.
“My nipple isn’t my innocence,” Bouldin answered. “By the time I had cause to whip it out in public (WHEN FEEDING MY CHILD) I was certainly no longer a virgin.”
That’s when Baldasaro jumped in. “No disrespect, but your nipple would be the last one I would want to see,” he wrote. “You want to turn our family beaches into a pervert show.”
Baldasaro: ‘I stand by what I said’
After reporters described the remarks by Baldasaro and Moore as “crude” and “unapologetically misogynistic,” Baldasaro posted a message on his own Facebook page defending his response and criticizing Bouldin. “[R]ead Rep Amanda Bouldin comments on subject, then her comments on whipping her breast out in public, then my comments,” he wrote. “I stand by what I said.”
Baldasaro’s wife backed him up. “Any woman who said she was going to whip her nipple out to my husband I consider unwanted sexual advances. (Not saying that is what Amanda intended), but my husband was making it clear that he does not want to see any,” she added.
“Can anyone show me the part where I told Al that I want to show him my breasts?” Bouldin answered. “Oh wait… no one can produce such a screenshot, because I never SAID that,” she declared. “I think Al is just trying to paper over the fact that he misunderstood my comment about breastfeeding (something I haven’t done in about SIX YEARS) and he reacted poorly.”
Bouldin challenged Baldasaro to admit he misunderstood her remark. “Dude, Al, I know you are an honorable man and have the cajones to fess up (or at least quiet down) when you’re in the wrong,” she wrote. “The way in which you’re in the wrong here is that you continually accuse me of desiring to show my breasts. Stop lying, dude.”
Baldasaro refused to back down. “Amanda, I will never quiet down, when you talked about whipping it out in public, I responded to your comment, whether you believe it or not, I must be honest, I don’t care,” he answered. “My comments, I stand by it because you were the only one who talked about whipping your breast out in public. So life goes on. Happy New Year!”
“You guys are spreading lies,” Bouldin wrote. It’s a huge disappointment to the people who have admired you, Al. Stop spreading lies. I don’t give a damn if anyone apologizes. Just stop lying. Where’s your self-respect?”