A pastor from Missouri has come under fire for his controversial comments about Former First Lady Melania Trump, which many deemed sexist and misogynistic. Pastor Stewart-Allen Clark of the Malden First General Baptist Church said that women should strive to achieve a figure like Melania’s in order to keep their husband’s attention. In a 22-minute video of his February sermon, which went viral on March 7, he deemed Melania an “epic trophy wife” and held her up as an example of what women should aspire to.
I can't believe that a man who is so far gone that he could have rested that bible on his belly is seriously bitching in church about women letting themselves go and not looking like Melania Trump.
Honey, that ain't exercise she's using, it's scalpels. pic.twitter.com/RIUdGFq65L
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) March 7, 2021
“Now look, I’m not saying every woman can be the epic, epic trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump. Most women can’t be trophy wives, but you know, maybe you’re a participation trophy,” he said. The pastor also urged women not to “give him a reason to be looking around” and said it was “really important” for men to have a beautiful woman on their arm “Why is it so many times that women, after they get married, let themselves go?” he continued.
The pastor has since gone on leave, and the General Baptist Ministries wrote in a statement posted to its Facebook page, “Every woman was created in the image of God, and they should be valued for that reason. Furthermore, we believe that all individuals regardless of any other factors are so loved by God that Christ died for them.”
I’m gonna need Stewart Allen Clark, the pastor who told women to slim down, pretty up and look more like Melania Trump to slim down, tone out, and look more like Henry Cavill. pic.twitter.com/YAZ7bDLWrC
— ⚜️ Gretchen ⚜️ (@GMWhitehair) March 6, 2021
Once the clip of the sermon began circulating, his comments were quickly slammed for their deeply misogynistic undertones by social media users. “I’m gonna need Stewart Allen Clark, the pastor who told women to slim down, pretty up and look more like Melania Trump to slim down, tone out, and look more like Henry Cavill,” one person joked, while another wrote, “It’s always the men who look 11months pregnant telling women to lose weight.”
While some users jumped to Melania’s defense, lauding her as the “idea” woman, many pointed out how backward Stewart’s comments were in 2021. “Good morning to everyone who does NOT look like Melania trump and doesn’t feel the need to look like her because some jackass Missouri pastor said so,” a Twitter user wrote, while another noted, “I can’t believe that a man who is so far gone that he could have rested that bible on his belly is seriously b****g in church about women letting themselves go and not looking like Melania Trump.”