ADF to Gov. Noem: Criticism is not engaging in cancel culture

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom General Counsel Kristen Waggoner regarding South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s reported characterization of her decision to illegitimately use her “style and form” veto power to gut the Fairness in Women’s Sports bill, H.B. 1217, as attempts to “cancel” her:

“Alliance Defending Freedom defends victims of cancel culture every day. Exposing invented explanations for bad decisions and criticizing Gov. Noem for caving to woke corporations is not cancel culture. It’s accountability. And it’s a grave injustice to compare public criticism of her decision to gut the Fairness in Women’s Sports legislation to those who have truly been victimized by cancel culture. The truth is there is no NCAA policy that requires males to compete against girls. The governor could have demonstrated courage in the face of special interests but instead is using sleight of hand and smoke and mirrors to cover her tracks. That’s not what a real leader does. Real leadership does the right thing even when it’s hard. That’s what other governors have done. And that’s what 14 attorneys general did when they signed in support of similar legislation in Idaho. Gov. Noem caved to pressure from corporate special interests when others haven’t, and it has harmed the broader effort to protect fairness in women’s sports. We hope Gov. Noem will join these states by signing H.B. 1217 rather than continuing her current course.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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