Last week President Obama announced that Sonia Sotomayor will be his nominee to replace Justice David Souter on the US Supreme Court. She will only be the second woman to sit on the current court (the other female member of the court is Ruth Bader Ginsburg) and the third female justice to ever serve (Sandra Day O’Connor being the first female justice).
Does it matter?
Surely it is better to celebrate having the best person on the court rather than the fact that the latest nominee is a woman?
I was talking to a (male) friend who I consider to be a fellow ‘progressive’. He claims to be in favour of and a proponent of equality. But when I said I thought it was time there was a female leader of the Labour Party he said ‘why?’. I was astounded, for me and my female friends it is so obvious that I forget in some company I need to qualify such a statement.
Well as, soon to be, Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor says, her background as a woman and as a latina will influence her decisions. Therefore, if she is right, and I would agree that she is, without representatives sharing a similar background how can we be adequately represented in a democracy?
But also, I ask this of my progressive friend, how would he feel if only 17% of the House of Commons was male? How would he feel if his gender had only ever seen 1 leader of a mainstream UK political party, EVER?
I really question whether women can be fairly represented and if their interests can be truly catered for in a political world that does not reflect them in its make up. As to why we, that is women, are so underprepresented that is another matter.
On 16th June we’ll be having an inspiring discussion with women who are currently campaiging, winning and representing us in elected office. I hope you’ll come and join us.