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Trump's SCOTUS pick may be Amy Coney Barrett, here's why Internet is calling her Aunt Lydia from 'Handmaid's Tale'

A user commented, 'A judge whose husband is believed to be the 'head' should not be anywhere near the Supreme Court. I don’t want to be oppressed by aunt Lydia'

While everyone is waiting for President Donald Trump’s official announcement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s replacement, multiple reports claim that Amy Coney Barrett is the frontrunner. One might have thought this will spark discussions about if she is the ideal replacement or about her achievements for deserving the position. However, Twitter seems to equate Barrett with Aunt Lydia.

For the uninitiated, Aunt Lydia is a fictional character from the 1985 novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by author Margaret Atwood. The dystopian novel is set in near-future New England, a totalitarian state, known as Gilead, that has replaced the US government. And, Aunt Lydia is one of the important characters who ensure that there is no disruption or rebellion from the women assigned under her. The book has been adapted into a TV series for Hulu with the same name and the character is played by actress Ann Dowd.

Here are some of the things people were tweeting. One user said, “Wait, wait, wait!! So Trump's SCOTUS pick has a lifelong membership in a group that literally calls women "handmaids" and men "heads"??? My god, she really is a younger version of Aunt Lydia.” Another said, “Will Aunt Lydia be attending the confirmation hearing to support Amy "coat hanger" Barrett? Asking for a few handmaids.” One user said, “Aunt Lydia is trending. Before you call that dramatic, please remember this woman is literally part of a group that calls its women handmaidens.” One commented, “A judge whose husband is believed to be the “head” should not be anywhere near the Supreme Court. I don’t want to be oppressed by aunt Lydia.”

So, why were people suddenly talking about Barrett’s probable nomination to a fictional character? According to Politico, Barrett is a member of People of Praise, a tight-knit Christian group that nurtures strong bonds between its members, who are mostly Catholic. The group was founded in 1971 in South Bend and according to their website describes itself as “a charismatic Christian community”. The website further states, “Our community life is characterized by deep and lasting friendships. We share our lives together often in small groups and in larger prayer meetings. We read Scripture together. We share meals together. We attend each other's baptisms and weddings and funerals. We support each other financially and materially and spiritually. We strive to live our daily lives in our families, workplaces and cities in harmony with God and with all people.”

As per the Politico report, a few former members have said that they found People of Praise sexist or overly controlling of members’ lives. They “describe an authoritarian atmosphere in which all of one's life decisions — career, marriage, where to live and more — are controlled by the leaders or ‘heads,’” according to a 2018 article in the National Catholic Reporter, as mentioned by Politico. As per the report, the group’s communications director, Sean Connolly has dismissed the charge of sexism. “People of Praise recognizes that men and women share fundamental equality as bearers of God’s image,” he wrote in an email.

The group apparently used the term “handmaid” to describe women who act as advisers to other group members. This may be the reason why it was being compared to Atwood’s novel. However, they have stopped using the term in recent years, according to Politico.

But Atwood told Politico she was not sure if this particular group was among the real-world inspirations for her book. She said her notes from that time were at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto and are currently inaccessible due to the coronavirus. “Unless I can go back into the clippings file, I hesitate to say anything specific,” the Canadian author said in a statement.

This might have the reason for all that chatter on Twitter. However, we will be waiting for Trump’s official announcement and see what affects it has politically.
 
MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) cannot independently verify and does not support any claims being made on the Internet.