In the wake of the recent vote by the
Senate to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court many
women and supporters of women's rights have been emotionally
devastated and understandably angry. With President Donald Trump now
gaining two conservative appointments to the Supreme Court women's
rights are in serious jeopardy. It is widely believed that with a
conservative majority the precedent of Roe v. Wade
will be overturned, stripping the right of women to control their own
bodies and denying them access to abortion. However, believe it or
not, all is not lost and it is imperative that women and allies pick
themselves up and continue the struggle against patriarchy
immediately.
More
damage needs to be mitigated
In
the short-term the midterm elections are heating up and it is
imperative that women and all those who support women's rights make
it to the polls to politically punish Republicans for their vote on
Kavanaugh. On the other hand, revenge is not the only reason it is
important to vote in November. Overturning Roe v. Wade
will not happen overnight. The conservatives will still have to take
their anti-choice lawsuits through the court system and work their
way to the Supreme Court.
In
the meantime the GOP will try to outlaw abortion and infringe on the
rights of women on the state and local level. It is up to women,
liberals, progressives and all those who support women's rights to
stop them. At least four states have already passed laws
through their state legislatures which would automatically make
abortion illegal if Roe v. Wade
is overturned. Undoubtedly, the confirmation of Kavanaugh will
encourage other conservatives in state legislatures to attempt to
follow suit. Therefore, it is imperative that Democrats and those on
the left side of the political spectrum control as many state
legislative seats and governorships as possible. The only way to do
this is at the ballot box in November.
Culture
can change politics
Although
electoral politics is essential to mitigate the oncoming damage to
women's rights in the long-term culture needs to become a larger part
of the left's theory of change. Cultural changes are what makes
political change possible. Before Brown
v. Board of Education,
Jackie Robinson made his Major League Baseball debut seven years
prior. Ellen Degeneres came out as homosexual on her television
sitcom eight years before the first favorable court ruling addressing
same-sex marriage. Culture is the seed which must be planted before
progressive politics can bear fruit. Now in the midst of the Me Too
Movement, believe it or not, the seed has been planted and despite
the set back we have yet to bear the fruit.
This
means we must continue the struggle on the cultural front. Artists,
writers, musicians, creatives and propagators of culture must
continue to tell the stories of women's struggles and triumphs in the
face of patriarchy. Stories should be created and visions should be
shown that portray women of strength, independence, intellect and
conscience. Continue telling stories reflecting on how economic
inequality is intertwined with women's rights and ultimately human
rights. Convey the emotions of women facing the economic reality of
an unexpected pregnancy while in soul-crushing poverty with the
father not in the picture. Tell the story of the woman who had been
impregnated by her rapist. Make her humanity undeniable to even the
most hardened of conservatives, including those sitting on the
Supreme Court right now.
Humans
can change
This
may understandably sound naive to many, but believe it or not, likely
attempted rapist, and now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is
also human. This means he and any other humans sitting on the U.S.
Supreme Court are capable of change. Even hardcore neoconservative
Dick
Cheney had a change of heart regarding same-sex marriage when he
was faced with the reality of how it affected his daughter's sense of
humanity.
Never
give up
Like
Cheney and the rest of humanity, none of the justices on the Supreme
Court are completely disconnected from society and culture. They all
surf the Internet and read the news and watch television just like
the rest of us. They too will be subject to the cultural messaging of
both the right and the left. But, if the left wins the culture war it
is possible when it comes time for Kavanaugh and the other
conservative justices to pull the trigger, they may ultimately find
room in their hearts to maintain the precedent set by Roe
v. Wade.
