Women wanted: Hillary Scholten’s picky job post

Are you a man? Need a job? Well, former labor lawyer and current Michigan congresswoman Hillary Scholten would really rather you didn’t apply to be her new senior communications director in DC, according to a job posting obtained by The Spectator. 

The job posting stipulates that “our office deeply values staff diversity (both because we recognize we are a better office for it and because we know that it is objectively the right thing to do!)”

“We strongly encourage women (and all individuals who do not identify as male), people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans, and members of other underrepresented communities to apply,” the post continues. Scholten previously worked as a labor attorney, so she ostensibly would know how to craft these job postings that heavily infer gender-, race- and sexuality-based discrimination without directly running afoul of the law.

For those men and those who identify as men who seem to think that Scholten’s office is uninterested in hearing from them, never fear! Her office includes fancy legalese that says that “all applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including marital or parental status), sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national origin.” Solidarity, sister.

This could prove awkward for the freshman Democrat. The posting indicates that “Michigan/Midwest ties” are a preferred skill for applicants to have. But she is, in essence, discouraging a significant tranche of her congressional district from applying. Per Ballotpedia’s estimates, 50 percent of Michigan’s 3rd district. Of that half, the men who aren’t “of color,” gay, bisexual, trans, disabled or a veteran had better find another role that “strongly encourages” them to apply.

Scholten represents one of the purest toss-up districts in America. Could her diversity-centric job preferences prove an electoral liability?