Dr. Phil Under Fire For Asking Twitter If It's OK To Have Sex With Drunk Girls

Dr. Phil McGraw is mostly known for his inoffensive, vaguely self-help-driven lectures on his pop-psychology show “Dr. Phil,” but on Tuesday, the television host came under fire online after posting a tweet that seemed to support sexual assault.

“If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to @DrPhil #teensaccused,” Dr. Phil tweeted out to his million-plus followers on Monday night. Legally, of course, drunk people are not capable of consenting to sex, making such an encounter rape. The post exploded on Twitter and immediately drew backlash for giving a voice to supporters of sexual assault and generally misunderstanding the concept of consent.

Not long after, Dr. Phil deleted the offending tweet, but it lived on in screengrabs and the hundreds of retweets and responses it received.

Aren't you married? RT @DrPhil: If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to @drphil #teensaccused
- rob delaney (@robdelaney) August 20, 2013

Dear whoever is at that bar with @DrPhil right now: Run. And don't look back.
- Angus Johnston (@studentactivism) August 20, 2013

Basically @DrPhil or their publicist thinks that muddying the waters on what counts as rape is a good way to drive up audience participation
- Daniel Greene (@Greene_DM) August 20, 2013

Are you "asking for a friend"? RT @DrPhil: If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to @drphil #teensaccused
- Andy Levy (@andylevy) August 20, 2013

Rape! Cool or no? What say you? RT @DrPhil If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to #teensaccused
- Robyn Pennacchia (@RobynElyse) August 20, 2013

"@DrPhil If a girl is drunk is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no." Why are you looking for a greenlight to rape from twitter?
- Settler Colonial (@SettlerColonial) August 20, 2013