Who is Mazie Hirono, the senator telling men to 'shut up and step up' in the wake of Kavanaugh allegations

Sen. Mazie Hirono may not have planned on being a major force in the battle to stop the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, but that’s exactly what the she has become. Responding to news that the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault has received death threats, the Hawaii Democrat offered a stern warning.

“I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up,” Hirono said in a video that has been widely shared on social media. “Do the right thing for a change.”

The news conference was the latest in what has become an unexpectedly tumultuous vetting process for a spot on the highest court in the land. It began Sept. 4, with four days of questioning from the Senate Judiciary Committee — after which Kavanaugh appeared to be sailing toward a confirmation. The progress was thwarted on Sept. 12, when a report from the Intercept exposed the news that Sen. Dianne Feinstein had received a letter that described “an incident involving Kavanaugh and a woman while in high school.”

Four days later, the Washington Post published an article from the accuser herself, a clinical psychology professor who agreed to go on the record: Christine Blasey Ford. The allegations stated that while at a high school party in the early 1980s, a drunken 17-year-old Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault Ford, covering her mouth to drown out her screams. Although Ford was able to escape, she said the incident “derailed” her for years, leading to a confession to her therapist in 2012.

In the wake of the allegations, the New York Times reported that Ford has gone into hiding in response to death threats that included one that read “six months to live, you disgusting slime.” The news was visibly upsetting to Hirono, whose call for men to “shut up” fell directly in its wake. Hirono has continued to support Ford, tweeting Wednesday morning about the need to protect her.

But who exactly is Hirono herself? Here are five things you need to know.

She’s a history-making senator — in more ways than one.

Hirono was born in Fukushima, Japan, in 1947, but she moved to Hawaii with her mother at age 8 to escape an abusive father who, according to Politico, “gambled away their money.” After attending Georgetown University, she entered state politics in Hawaii, serving first as a representative and later as lieutenant governor. She was elected to the Senate in 2012, marking a historic win not only as the first Asian-American female senator but also as the first Buddhist and the first born in Japan.

She consistently questions Trump nominees about past history of sexual misconduct.

Ford’s letter and allegations may not have reached the public until this week, but Hirono has been preparing for them all along. According to an August piece from HuffPost, Hirono has begun nearly every hearing for a Trump nominee in the past seven months — for positions ranging from “top defense to energy department” — with whether the nominee has a history of sexual misconduct.

Her quote: “Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?” HuffPost reported. “Have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of conduct?” The questions are the same ones she reportedly asked Kavanaugh in the midst of the hearings, calling sexual harassment a “scourge.”

She is one of just four women serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Until 1991, the Senate Judiciary Committee — which controls the appointment of Supreme Court nominees — consisted of zero women. That changed in the wake of the infamous Anita Hill hearings, after Hill accused then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual misconduct. Today Hirono is one of just four women serving on the 21-person committee, which includes three more Democratic senators: Kamala Harris, Dianne Feinstein, and Amy Klobuchar.

She is battling two types of cancer.

While fighting the repeal of Obamacare, Hirono tearfully recalled being recently diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer. Although the 70-year-old reportedly had surgery to remove the kidney, it was revealed earlier this year that the cancer had spread to her thyroid, requiring further immunotherapy treatment. Despite her health challenges, she told constituents in April that she’s “optimistic” her condition will improve and that she is running for reelection in November.

She is openly asserting that she “believes” Ford’s allegations.

Although Ford and Kavanaugh have both agreed to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, it’s unclear when — or if — the questioning will take place. In the interim, Hirono is openly stating that Ford’s story is one she believes to be credible, and troubling.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• ‘Stop Kavanaugh’ temporary tattoo makes the Emmy’s political

• ‘You’re a repulsive human:’ Donald Trump Jr. receives harsh criticism after allegedly mocking Kavanaugh accuser

• Experts weigh in on judging Kavanaugh for alleged adolescent behavior: ‘Most teens don’t do that type of thing’

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