And here's a pre-pooner Erica Moise doing what she does best -- bitching about being oppressed.
While some of the public defenders were busy improving their professional skills, Cliff Woodards II was busy posting offensive comments on Facebook:
"After watching yet another woman dressed up like a man, wearing sagging jeans, boxer briefs and sporting a mohawk, it finally dawned on me to ask this question: Why you wearing men's draws though? It's not like you're gonna need the flap. Do they make you feel more manly? I don't understand."
Woodards, a 54-year-old prominent community figure, practices at The Detroit Law Center which he established in 2003.
Moise said she was notified by others in the room to Woodards' post during their afternoon session. Although he did not identify Moise specifically at first, he later posted "she is sitting right across from me now though."
That's when Moise said "all hell broke loose." Pages of
comments – some in defense of Moise, some ridiculing her – quickly turned into a hate-filled forum where homophobic comments, racial slurs and misogynistic views were expressed.
Woodards' daughter Missy intervened, further exposing Moise by revealing to the public that she and Moise dated in the past. Missy said she can "most assuredly" speak to Moise's choice in undergarments and explained that "some members of our community feel more desirable in more traditional masculine clothing."
In support of her father, Missy's lengthy post included statements such as: "I have to say I genuinely don't think that you are homophobic or targeting the LGBTQ community … He did not attack Erica's ability to do her job, her intelligence or her professionalism … The First Amendment will always defend the right to free speech."
Despite her best efforts not to, Moise chimed in later to explain that "this is the type of thing that allows other attorneys to treat me like complete crap. This is everyday for me in this job. Everyday. To have this posted while I was in a room full of my colleagues is unacceptable. Especially when he has such a public profile and people follow his words. Other lawyers harass me on a regular basis. This is why. Maybe you will think about these words again. Or maybe not. But whatever you choose to do, just know that I will not tolerate someone talking about me or my underwear while I'm sitting in the same professional conference."
With little regard for Moise's feelings, Woodards responded: "No one really cares if you're gay. But no one should be able to see four inches of your underwear at a 'professional conference' either."
Moise defended what she said is a "grossly inaccurate" description of her attire, a little on the baggy side due to weight loss caused by stress and illness, which Woodards empathized with. But he could not acknowledge that what he said was inappropriate.
Oh, and here's a picture of the man whom she attacked.
