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Scott Yenor

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American political activist and university professor

Scott Yenor (born 1970) is an American political activist, university professor, and author. He is a member of the men-only Christian nationalist organization Society for American Civic Renewal and works for the Claremont Institute's Center for the American Way of Life. He wrote the 2011 book Family Politics: The Idea of Marriage in Modern Political Thought and the 2020 book The Recovery of Family Life: Exposing the Limits of Modern Ideologies. He anonymously founded the far-right website Action Idaho in 2021.

Yenor has taught political science at Boise State University since 2000 and has been strongly critical of social justice programs at universities. His anti-feminist views, including referring to career-oriented women as "medicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome", led to a Title IX investigation and his being charged with civil rights violations by Boise State. Yenor is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and Loyola University Chicago.

In January 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Yenor to the board of trustees for University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.

Early life and education

Scott Yenor was born in 1970. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, receiving a B.A. in 1993. He earned a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago in political science and government in 2000.

Academic career

Yenor was hired as a professor at Boise State University in 2000. He is a tenured professor and teaches political philosophy.

In his academic writings, Yenor has addressed the Scottish Enlightenment, David Hume, the Reconstruction era, presidential power, and "the principles of family regime for the late modern world". He authored the 2011 book Family Politics: The Idea of Marriage in Modern Political Thought.

Political activism

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Yenor is a member of the Society for American Civic Renewal, a secretive, men-only Christian nationalist organization. He drafted documents in 2021 related to the organization's charter and purpose. He is also a fellow with the Center for the American Way of Life of the Claremont Institute. In 2023, Claremont hired Yenor as its first senior director of state coalitions.

Yenor's anti-feminist rhetoric has been the source of controversy. In a speech at the 2021 National Conservatism Conference, Yenor declared: "If we want a great nation, we should be preparing young women to become mothers ... Every effort must be made not to recruit women into" medicine, law, engineering and "every trade", instead "recruit and demand more of men" in these occupations; Yenor went on: "If every Nobel Prize winner is a man, that’s not a failure. It’s kind of a cause for celebration". Yenor referred to career-oriented women as "medicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome". He said that higher educational institutions were undermining the traditional family, declaring them "citadels of our gynecocracy". A video of his speech went viral, setting off a firestorm calling for his sanction, sacking, and an investigation of his conduct in the classroom. He was charged by the university with six civil rights violations, which led to a Title IX investigation.

Yenor has criticized social justice programs at Idaho universities, including his own Boise State. He has written white papers against the programs in conjunction with the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank. In 2021 he was selected by Idaho's then-Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin to serve on a task force aimed at finding evidence of indoctrination in primary, secondary, and higher education. While on sabbatical in January 2023, Yenor was invited by a conservative group to speak at Eagle High School. An article in the Idaho Statesman described how dozens of students jeered at him and walked out during his speech.

Yenor anonymously founded the far-right website Action Idaho in 2021. The platform published commentary critical of Idaho Republicans deemed insufficiently right-wing and hateful disinformation related to LGBTQ+ groups. Yenor received funding for the endeavor from Claremont Institute chairman Thomas Klingenstein. His authorship of the website was uncovered in 2024.

Personal life

Yenor is married to Amy Yenor, an events coordinator, and has five children. He lives in Meridian, Idaho, and is Lutheran.

References

  1. https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2025/governor-ron-desantis-appoints-five-university-west-florida-board-trustees
  2. https://apnews.com/article/university-west-florida-desantis-board-appointees-7aa4d99cf322228fc73a471fe0cbf14f#
  3. ^ "Boise State professor's anti-feminism comments draw scrutiny". Idaho Press. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  4. Hurley, Thomas J. (2012). "Review: Flight from Nature". The Review of Politics. 74 (2): 351–353.
  5. Wilson, Jason (March 19, 2024). "Revealed: documents shed light on shadowy US far-right fraternal order". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Richert, Kevin (February 9, 2023). "Boise State professor Scott Yenor takes a Florida-based job with a conservative think tank". Idaho Capital Sun. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  7. Payne, Kate (January 10, 2025). "DeSantis nominee for UWF board says women shouldn't delay motherhood for higher ed, career". Associated Press. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  8. Richert, Kevin (December 8, 2021). "Analysis: Boise State has a Scott Yenor problem, and it could prove costly". Idaho Education News. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  9. Richert, Kevin (August 25, 2022). "Lost donors, calls for action: An in-depth look inside Boise State's Scott Yenor firestorm". Idaho Education News. Archived from the original on July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  10. Maldonado, Mia (January 27, 2023). "Eagle High club invited controversial Boise State professor to speak. Students responded". Idaho Statesman. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  11. Wilson, Jason (March 29, 2024). "Revealed: US professor was behind extremist site that spread conspiracies". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  12. "Faculty: Scott Yenor". Boise State University. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  13. "Scholar punctures illusions of pro-cohabitation study". Catholic News Agency. January 29, 2012. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.

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