After years of monitoring the Religious Right, I always assume that I have more or less become immune to being shocked by their displays of naked bigotry … but then they always manage to surprise me.
Take, for instance, the newest backlash against Amanda Simpson, a transgender appointee to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security where she will serve as a senior technical adviser monitoring the export of U.S. weapons technology.
Despite her thirty years of experience and degrees in physics, engineering, and business, all the Right can focus on is her gender, claiming that her appointment is part of some conspiracy to criminalize Christianity (and note also how they insist on referring to Simpson as “he”):
“He may very well be qualified for this position but it appears that he was not picked (merely) for his qualifications, he was picked because of his wardrobe,” [Matt Barber, Director of Cultural Affairs for the Liberty Counse] commented to CNA. “That is not diversity or tolerance. It’s political correctness run amok” … Barber continued to express his concern regarding the future ramifications of Simpson’s appointment, arguing that it is part of a larger movement within the current administration.“With hate crimes legislation and ENDA (Employment Non Discrimination Act) and other radical GLBT pieces of legislation that are being pushed by the Obama Administration,” Barber told CNA, those who disagree with the GLBT perspective “literally can and will face criminal or civil penalty.”
Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth voiced similar concern on the Focus on the Family Action website on Jan. 4. “Is there going to be a transgender quota now in the Obama Administration? How far does this politics of gay and transgender activism go? Clearly this is an administration that is pandering to the gay lobby,” he said.
Barber added that in his opinion “there is no doubt” that Simpson’s appointment “is an effort to normalize” transgender issues and “desensitize” American society.
And I know I should be shocked by anything I find in WorldNetDaily … but I can help but shake my head in disbelief at articles like this, with its repeated use of the term “he” and inclusion of wholly irrelevant details:
Mitchell Simpson, now known as “Amanda” following a sex change, is said to have been appointed senior technical adviser at the Commerce Department. He purportedly began work today.
…
Simpson, 49, is a former test pilot who made the gender switch 10 years ago while working in Tucson, Ariz., for Raytheon Missile Systems, a major Department of Defense contractor where he became deputy director. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Simpson underwent six surgeries at a cost of $70,000 to make the transition from male to female. He had his Adam’s apple removed, breasts added, forehead ground down and genital surgery.
…
Simpson told ABC News he’s worried that people will assume he was hired because he is a transgender and not on his merits.
What does any of this have to do with Simpson’s qualification for the job? Nothing whatsoever.
This is nothing more than a personal attack based entirely on Simpson’s gender and a flagrant display of undisguised right-wing bigotry.
