The highly controversial– arguably the most controversial Supreme Court nominee in history– Brett Kavanaugh may take a seat on the Supreme Court as of Friday, October 5th.
So if Kavanaugh is confirmed, what will this mean for women and men across the United States?
Before going into the nitty-gritty of how the Kavanaugh confirmation will affect men and women, in general, it is important to discuss the impact on sexual assault survivors regardless of gender.
Personally, I cannot express how crucial it is that people call sexual assault survivors, survivors and not victims because they have overcome something most people cannot even fathom. To say they are victims is an understatement to their experiences.
But as survivors watched Dr. Christine Blasey Ford give her testimony, there was a gleam of hope for future sexual assault trials– the hope being that sexual assault survivors are given a thorough, fair trial where prosecutors believe the survivor and give real consequences to those perpetrators. As survivors watched this trial, many felt as though they were reliving their own experiences and trauma, making Dr. Ford’s testimony even more rememberable. Not only was she speaking her truth, but she was speaking the truth of so many others.
Some would even go as far as to say she made an everlasting impact on the #MeToo movement.
Dr. Ford also truly embodied patriotism, in every sense of the word, for survivors and all American citizens.
“I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me,” said Dr. Ford during her testimony on September 27.
However, if Congress confirms Kavanaugh as Supreme Court justice, men and women will be affected in vastly different ways.
For all of the men that have watched the Kavanaugh hearings unfold, it instilled a fear inside of them that should have been there a long time ago– a fear of their actions having actual, life-long consequences. Given that the vast majority of men who have committed some degree of sexual assault typically receive no form of punishment, this is an important moment in history men should learn from.
To all the young boys growing up in a country with these Kavanaugh hearings, this has taught them how a man of power reacts when everything he has is on the line. During the trials, Kavanaugh revealed many emotions ranging from absolute rage to utter devastation. While Kavanaugh’s short temperament may have been far off from what young boys need to look up to, he did show a great sense of vulnerability which is something young boys should admire. When he began to describe his children’s reactions to the allegations, he started to tear up.
“We should pray for the woman,” Kavanaugh says his daughter responded. “That’s a lot of wisdom from a 10-year-old.”
Yet, these men and young boys do not fully understand the extent their actions have on women as Kavanaugh is still able to succeed with an allegation of a serious offense– sexual assault.
For women, these Kavanaugh hearings are a reminder of the horrible reality we all have to live with which is a reality where men can get away with essentially anything because of our patriarchal, male-centric society. The Kavanaugh confirmation will just be another example of how little to no consequences men receive when accused or proven of sexually abusing women.
As young girls grow up to hear and see the Kavanaugh trials, they are being taught that only men can attain such high power. These young girls are seeing a male dominated Congress and a male dominated Supreme Court which result in a man’s world.
Fortunately, Dr. Ford tried to change this in her efforts to diminish– what she believed to be– Kavanaugh’s wrongful success.
Dr. Ford’s strength and dignity has enabled young girls to see that their truths have power and value, but only to some extent as Kavanaugh’s fate may not be shaken by Dr. Ford’s story. No matter the outcome, however, young girls and women should be proud of Dr. Ford as she had enough courage to stand up to the gender inequality in our government and our entire nation.
If Kavanaugh becomes the new Supreme Court justice, women across the United States are still in danger of having their right to choose taken away. Since Kavanaugh has made it abundantly clear that he is a strong right-winged Christian, his stance on abortion is an issue to take into serious consideration for women across the U.S.
Although Kavanaugh believes Roe v. Wade has set an “important precedent”, his past views suggest that he would permit stricter regulations on abortion set by the government.
This could mean a drastic change for women’s rights across America.
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