I have not written a political piece in a while (very unlike me), but of course I refuse to hold my tongue when it comes to the recent drama surrounding Brett Kavanaugh. For those who are unfamiliar, Kavanaugh is President Trump’s nominee to take the seat on the Supreme Court. He currently works as a jurist on the United States Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington D.C.’s circuit court. If voted in and confirmed, he would be taking long term Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s spot who announced his retirement early summer 2018. Kavanaugh’s nomination began with a pretty rocky start due to his known stance on the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate, his overall conservative views on gun rights, his opinions regarding immigration policies and abortion. Many women, including myself, were concerned with his negative stance on these major society altering policies.
What’s happening now, though, is much bigger situation. It’s an issue that unfortunately has been a problem for many women and seems to never end or be taken seriously. Brett Kavanaugh has been accused by a woman, Christine Blasey Ford, of sexual assault. The event described dated back to when the two were both in high school. Ford and Kavanaugh both attended elite college prep-schools in Bethesda, Maryland; Ford attended Holton-Arms School and Kavanaugh attended Georgetown Preparatory School. The schools both had reputations of being prestigious. Privileged kids attended based on the location, and it boasted notable alumni and high tuition costs.
Christine Blasey Ford accused Brett Kavanaugh of groping her while she was still clothed, pressing her to a bed with his hand over her mouth to drown out any noise she could have possibly made. The two were both intoxicated at a high school party, which is why it took Ford years to even faintly discuss this event. In numerous interviews she has now had to complete once coming forward and disclosing her information, she has expressed that if Kavanaugh was not as drunk as he was, he would’ve attempted rape. As a result of these statements, Kavanaugh has of course denied all allegations. Few individuals have been interviewed that were at the party and claim to have no recollection of these events, working in Brett’s favor. There has been a back and forth discussion on whether Christine would go forward, and after being pressured with an “ideal timeline” she has decided to go through with a trial. It’s been heartbreaking to see how this process has transitioned because it has shown that not much has changed over time.
In 1991, Anita Hill – an American attorney, now professor went through something very similar. She was working at the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), and was a victim of sexual harassment by supervisor at the time, Clarence Thomas. Thomas was a nominee to be next on the Supreme Court. Anita went before a panel of all men and was honestly embarrassed, changing her life forever with all of her claims not being taken seriously. As a result, Thomas was elected to the court and is now the longest serving Justice on the court after the retirement of Kennedy.
Anita Hill testifying in 1991.
It is events such as these that continue to disappoint me. In a timeline from 1991 up until now, not much has changed for women and their experiences being taken seriously. To what standard do we truly hold for our politicians and important figures? When will women get this same treatment?
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