Is there a point in time where, after enough trauma, a person simply outgrows their capacity to be outraged? This is a question that has been repeatedly asked over and over again by millions of Americans since November 8, 2016. Donald Trump, as a presidential candidate, was deeply appalling. But as a president he’s been unbearable. Ten months in, his repeated attempts to dismantle our democracy and gaslight the American people continue to generate hatred, outrage and trauma. Some of us thought we’d feel numb to all of it by now. Sadly, that numbness never comes.
His latest pick for ambassador-at-large for women’s issues engenders such a feeling. You’d think we wouldn’t feel surprise and disgust given what we know about Trump, how he feels about women and the people he has surrounded himself with. And yet, it still feels jarring.
The position is tasked with overseeing State Department programs to end gender-based violence and empower women and girls around the world. So, naturally, President Donald Trump is reportedly considering Penny Young Nance, a far-right Christian activist who opposed reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act; recently cheered on an attempt to block a pregnant teen immigrant from an abortion; and has called on Hollywood to write more scripts featuring strong male leads.
The part about Hollywood needing more strong male leads is laughable. But, unfortunately, nothing else about this pick is. Nance is coming from an organization called Concerned Women for America, where she is the CEO. What are they concerned about? That’s the answer that is truly scary.
The group’s agenda, according to its website, includes “protecting and supporting the Biblical design of marriage,” “protecting the sanctity of human life,” “ending sexual exploitation by fighting all forms of pornography, obscenity, prostitution, and sex trafficking,” and “defending religious liberty.”
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Nance put it this way: “We’re the women’s group who love men.”
But wait, it gets much worse. Nance is one of those liars and conspiracists who says that abortions are linked to breast cancer. She’s against school-aged transgender kids using the bathroom that matches their gender identity and she supports discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In short, she’s a pretty hideous human being.
But perhaps one of her ugliest stances is that she’s even taken on Disney movies. Not for the historical sexism or racism in them. But instead for the girls and women’s empowerment messages that they send.
Nance has even taken aim at the Disney mega-hit Frozen, which featured two strong female princesses. Nance went on television to criticize the film’s portrayal of men. “Hollywood in general has often sent the message that men are superfluous, that they’re stupid, that they’re in the way,” she said on Fox & Friends.
There is one small sliver of hope. The envoy position which he is being considered for is one which requires confirmation. We know that Democrats will push back against this kind of woman being chosen to work on such serious issues on behalf of women and girls domestically and abroad. But Republicans? That’s another issue entirely. But, here’s the rub. “Republicans have only a narrow majority on the Foreign Relations Committee, so if either Corker or Flake joins Democrats in opposing Nance, her bid for the job will fail.” Since they are on the way out, and have suddenly developed some sense of conscience, let’s hope with all our might that Corker and Flake do the right thing.