Dear John,
It’s been a sobering week, with the escalating and unprovoked attacks by Russia on the people of Ukraine and their democracy. As I’ve watched Putin’s bravado, his angry and virulent speeches, and his staged consultations with his government advisors and the oligarchs who control Russia’s economic sectors, I’m struck by the absence of women. This is not unusual, as Erica Chenoweth and Zoe Marks note in their recent report “Revenge of the Patriarchs” for Foreign Affairs: “Established autocrats … are united in their use of hierarchical gender relations to shore up nationalist, top-down male dominated rule.”
The silver lining to this week is Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic nomination to the Supreme Court, which president Biden announced yesterday morning. Judge Jackson currently serves on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the second most powerful court in the country, next only to the Supreme Court. Before that, she served as a District Court judge — giving her a total of over eight years of judicial experience, not to mention her prior experience as a public defender and as a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who Judge Jackson will replace.
For too long, the Supreme Court has not reflected the American public. Judge Jackson’s confirmation will bring us one step closer to this ideal. Yet, Jackson’s qualifications have already been challenged by the American patriarchs who serve in the U.S. Senate. But as courts expert Steve Vladeck noted on the latest episode of our “On the Issues” podcast, “The notion that [hers] are somehow not sufficient qualifications gives up the game that the folks who are making this charge one, don’t know what they’re talking about, and two, are using it as code for something else.” Namely, their own racism.
Meanwhile, in Texas, the unconstitutional SB8 ban on abortions after six weeks is still in effect. On Thursday, the Texas supreme court heard oral arguments challenging the ban, but reproductive rights advocates have little hope that any change will result. On Monday, the U.S. Senate will debate the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would guarantee abortion access nationwide — even if the Supreme Court eradicates Roe v. Wade.
But there’s really no need to watch Monday’s Senate debate — let me tell you exactly what’s going to happen: to paraphrase the late Rep. Louise Slaughter, a stalwart leader for abortion and reproductive rights when she was in the House, we’re going to hear a lot of moralizing and grand-standing by men in gray suits trying to tell women what to do.
Our thoughts are also with trans youth and their families in Texas, whose medical autonomy and mental health are under attack. Earlier this week, both Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Gregg Abbot cynically issued letters declaring that gender-affirming care — which studies have shown can be lifesaving for trans youth — is a form of “child abuse.” While the letters are not legally binding, the letters will subject trans kids and their families to heightened scrutiny — something they definitely don’t need in the current legislative climate, where their rights are already under attack.
And finally, there was a significant victory this week with the U.S. Soccer Federation’s settlement in the pay discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. women’s national team: the women will receive millions in back pay and a guarantee that women’s and men’s players will be paid equally from now on. “This is going to be one of those incredible moments that we look back on and say the game changed forever,” said Megan Rapinoe, one of the players leading the lawsuit.
And to that I will add — a critical chink in the patriarchy’s armor!
