Republican Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota recently shocked many of her conservative supporters by partially vetoing a transphobic bill that would bar transgender women from competing at a collegiate level.
Noem recently said she was "excited to sign" the bill, but told Fox News Tucker Carlson her thinking had changed after the National College Athletics Association (NCAA) threatened "punitive action."
The partial veto left both sides of the aisle angry at Noem: liberals believe her support for the bill is transphobic while conservatives are enraged Noem didn't follow through on signing it.
In response, Noem's communication's director, Ian Fury, decried the "conservative cancel culture" for trying to "cancel" the Governor for her actions.
Gov. Kristi Noem's office says in an email that she is a victim of "conservative cancel culture," adds that she is… https://t.co/Sld7qpgu89— Amber Athey (@Amber Athey)1616600868.0
Great example of people misusing the term "cancel culture." https://t.co/AdC1Ept2FB— Build the Wall, Medicare 4 All ☣️🇺🇸🍻 (@Build the Wall, Medicare 4 All ☣️🇺🇸🍻)1616639969.0
Fury commented:
"Apparently, uninformed cancel culture is fine when the right is eating their own. A less impassioned review of the facts tells a much different story. Governor Noem has long stood for fairness in women's sports."
"If conservative media would take [five] seconds to read past the knee-jerk headlines and actually understand governor Noem's position, they'd come to a very different realisation."
Conservatives need a cancel culture. Otherwise they’ll lose. https://t.co/EmRa6dIxKk— Echo Chamber (@Echo Chamber)1616635728.0
Her base is upset with a decision she made. That’s not “cancel culture.” Also, who are these legal experts? You can… https://t.co/BamQPEgxql— Matt Walsh (@Matt Walsh)1616630443.0
Having principles and calling out cowards that don't is "cancel culture" now https://t.co/NsVrscy8pi— Final Rixon (@Final Rixon)1616715047.0
Many conservatives online began claiming Noem's political future was over, but the governor insists she is not "caving" to the NCAA.
According to Noem, she is simply trying to add more sensitive language to the bill to "protect women's sports while also showing empathy for youths struggling with what they understand to be their gender identity" while still keeping transgender women out of college sports.
she’s been canceled from the 2024 primary https://t.co/dO7pgMYX3R— Allahpundit (@Allahpundit)1616623673.0
Clown’d yourself @govkristinoem @KristiNoem https://t.co/Ysc9DIRxA1— jc, criminalizer of compassion (@jc, criminalizer of compassion)1616616215.0
@newsmax She cancelled herself— Jeff_Jones (@Jeff_Jones)1616715780.0
Once conservatives were the ones doing the "cancelling," they suddenly understood all of the arguments liberals have been making about "cancel culture" for years.
Criticism is not cancel culture. @AllianceDefends https://t.co/eMbVsRpKf8— Michael Friel (@Michael Friel)1616714523.0
Well she continues to be a huge disappointment. Your base is not happy with you because you vetoed a bill protectin… https://t.co/2hYm2Mb8UR— gwongfit (@gwongfit)1616717312.0
The concept of "cancel culture," as espoused from the right, has always lacked internal coherence. But watching the… https://t.co/LShqmfa2sY— Lindsay Livingston (@Lindsay Livingston)1616616717.0
While some liberals online felt supportive of a politician being held accountable for going back on her word, they also felt uncomfortable Noem was being punished for doing something that was actually, in their opinion, good.
I'm no admirer of Kristi Noem, and I think the bill even as modified would be bad. But I do wonder if Noem calling… https://t.co/n0lUvPrUeU— Bill Kristol (@Bill Kristol)1616678431.0
I had lost track of the dynamics here, but I take it that Noem is saying that Tucker Carlson has now crossed the li… https://t.co/dutxovGpy9— Justin Tiehen (@Justin Tiehen)1616602660.0
The Tucker angle is here. He says she’s giving in to liberal bullying, showing a lack of spine. But she says Tucker… https://t.co/sBLprJPXTr— Justin Tiehen (@Justin Tiehen)1616602808.0
It seems "cancel culure" can come from the right. At least according to Governor Noem's office.