This year has been fuelled by the voice of women and the Me Too movement. That voice, while loud and clear, no longer holds the value it initially did. The living proof of this tragic reality is sitting in the Supreme Court of the United States as an Associate Justice.
On Oct. 6, 2018, Brett Michael Kavanaugh was appointed to the highest court of his country in what has become the most controversial nomination yet. Kavanaugh was accused by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University, of sexually abusing her at a party when the two were in high school. Ford publicly gave her testimony during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings that would decide Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court. Although these allegations were vehemently denied by the defendant, one must truly be living in La-La Land to believe this.
Not only did Ford describe her ordeal in great detail in front of the Judiciary Committee, she also passed a polygraph test administered by a former FBI agent. Kavanaugh’s tendency to sexually abuse the vulnerable was corroborated by two other women, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, who also claimed to be survivors. With all this evidence, how is it possible that Kavanaugh still managed to be accepted as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in one of the most powerful countries in the world?
Politics, misogyny and power. All three of these go hand in hand. The evidence is everywhere. Look at Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey – and the list goes on. All these men have abused their power and deemed it acceptable to repeat their actions. The main reason that Kavanaugh was even considered for the role was due to his conservative beliefs that align with President Trump. When a man like Trump, who is infamous for objectifying women and degrading them whenever possible, is running a country, it is then no surprise that his minions and followers look to emulate such behaviour.
The sad truth is that if 2018 has been the year of the woman, it has been at the expense of their integrity. It is not through the recognition of their achievements, but rather through their stories of survival that women have generally been discussed in the news. What the Kavanaugh hearing has proved is that no true progress regarding equality has been made. The fact that a man was accused of sexual assault, not once, but thrice, and still managed to get away with it is completely unacceptable – and yet it is accepted.
The Me Too movement that emerged during the Weinstein scandal created a new wave of feminism that looked to strike down the rampant misogyny within the workplace. It was through witnessing this historic movement that many believed there was a genuine possibility for change towards the treatment of women. The feeling of hope, excitement and pride spread through generations of women that took the streets of America during the Women’s March in 2017 and 2018.
While the movement was most definitely monumental and the spark that lit the fire within women across the globe, their loud voices have been quashed by Kavanaugh’s appointment. Even when their voices get louder, they are still silenced by the actions of the American government.
As the year comes to a close, women are left yet again to question their place in society. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford demonstrated extreme courage when she testified in front of the Judiciary Committee. To see her story of trauma transform into a narrative that is doused with mockery by the President of the United States himself is simply disheartening. Adopting a glass half full approach as a woman in this current political climate is extremely difficult. There is no bright side when survivors of sexual abuse are publicly ridiculed, heckled via social media and have hate mail sent to their homes.
One thing is for sure: everyone knows that women are persistent. They will fight for their rights until they are given the equal voice that they deserve. With the upcoming U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 6, 2018, it will be interesting to see what the outcome will be. Will some sense of true democracy be reinstated into the country? Or will the fight for equality continue to grow in its intensity for the upcoming year?
By Sukaina Kazim
Please note that opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
