US Supreme Court nominee KBJ asked to define "woman"

[HelenaRavenclaw]

Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is on track to become the first Black female US Supreme Court justice, responded: "I'm not a biologist."

Is this a good thing? As in, she believes that biologists are the ones who can truly define women, which therefore implies women are defined by biology alone. Or is it yet another denial to obfuscate the simple truth, as in "It's too complicated for an ordinary (non-biologist) person to tell who is a woman".

Shameful US woke media claiming that science has no simple answer to "what is a woman?" : www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/03/24/marsha-blackburn-asked-ketanji-jackson-define-woman-science/7152439001/

the FT has an article on her today (missing out the bit about not being able to say what a woman is). The comments below are a treat - several other people noticing the ommission.

But you fail to notice why she is being grilled and questioned with all sorts of irrelevant questions?

You fail to see why some of these irrelevant questions are being aimed at her?

Funny that!

Remember the very inexperienced white woman handed the job by Trump who was never asked irrelevant questions in an attempt to discredit her. Yet this black woman must be held to a different standard.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/etanji-brown-jackson-justice-thurgood-marshall-b2044341.html?amp

All you care about is her definition of “woman” and not the objectionable way she is being treated?

so you think it's an irrelavent question?

It is irrelevant. Explain why it is relevant in her context and why that question isn’t being asked if others.

And tell me why this is THE thing that concerns you most where she is concerned when the far greater issue, occupying all of America’s main media is the racism she is facing. Does that not bother you or are you more bothered by how she defines or does not define “woman”? What about the time they make and female judges, will you be digging around to find out how they define it or are you only concerned about how this particular person defines it?

However, I’m sure you’ll justify to yourself why the definition of woman from this woman is a far worthier issue to be concerned about than the blatant racism she is being openly subjected to you.

amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/03/23/opinions/ketanji-brown-jackson-hearing-racism-joseph/index.html

• What about the other male and female judges

The way she has been treated by some of the questioners is grossly racist and just incredibly nasty.

The question about what a woman might be and her answer to that tells us where we are heading. Nobody asks what a man is as now there is one biological sex (which rules almost everywhere in the world), and that sex can be called 'men.' There might also be intersex people (differences in sexual development, more properly, who actually also are either male or female), but there is no female sex. Not even the second sex Simone de Beauvoir wrote about.

If you disagree with that status of affairs or get incredibly insulted by being called a vagina-owner, bleeder, or cunt, then you are the bigot and will be canceled.

She doesn't want to be canceled by the left as the right already tries to do that. I get why she answers the way she did, but the whole situation describes the dire future for people Formerly Known As Women.

Defending your own embodied identity is now a serious form of transphobia.

'And tell me why this is THE thing that concerns you most where she is concerned when the far greater issue, occupying all of America’s main media is the racism she is facing.'

Why do you get to tell women what the far greater issue is? Can't there be more than one?

Feel free and happy to pile on Judge Ketanji with you outrage over what “woman” means. It’s open season when it comes to black people, black women in particular. She isn’t getting enough racist grief. Pile on.

My concern is that there might be a US Supreme Court justice who doesn't know what a woman is. Her race is irrelevant to that concern. I know she is a woman; why doesn't she know I am?

And what gives you the right to tell this black woman if and how to answer questions thrown her way by those with a racist agenda?

You question can be rephrased as “ Why do you get to tell WHITE women what the far greater issue is?” Cause it sure ain’t black women who will find the definition of woman a far greater issue than racism.

I leave you to knock yourself out or get drunk on you bigotry.

@tabbycatstripy

My concern is that there might be a US Supreme Court justice who doesn't know what a woman is. Her race is irrelevant to that concern. I know she is a woman; why doesn't she know I am?

Only that one you’re concerned about? Only her? Interesting!

'And what gives you the right to tell this black woman if and how to answer questions thrown her way by those with a racist agenda?'

I didn't tell her. What gives me the right to an opinion on her answer is that I heard it.

'Only that one you’re concerned about? Only her? Interesting!'

Show me another nominee and their answer to the same question and I'll have an opinion on that as well.

@Why2why

And what gives you the right to tell this black woman if and how to answer questions thrown her way by those with a racist agenda?

You question can be rephrased as “ Why do you get to tell WHITE women what the far greater issue is?” Cause it sure ain’t black women who will find the definition of woman a far greater issue than racism.

I leave you to knock yourself out or get drunk on you bigotry.

Given that here in the UK MPs of both sexes and all ethnicities are being asked the same question I don't think many posters here will see this in the same way as a US based poster would.

It's a question being asked of everyone here. For good reason. The rights of women and girls rely on common sense and material reality being acknowledged.

it might shock you, but I don't care that she's black. But I do care that she can't define what a woman is.
And I can define what I think is important.

It’s being asked of everyone? Kate Middleton? The Queen, Charles and his wife? They are part of you leadership. Ask them too.

What has been the answer of all your female politicians? Are you hounding them or they they all give an answer and a satisfactory one?

Let black women breathe.

Why is it a racist agenda to ask someone who will be such an important figure what a woman is? If she was a white candidate I would expect the same question to be asked.

'If she was a white candidate I would expect the same question to be asked.'

I would. This is a significant political issue and will be for many years.

I don't think that you have much awareness of what has been happening in the UK on this. And nobody gives a fuck about what Kate Middleton thinks. Or the Queen.

'It’s being asked of everyone? Kate Middleton? The Queen, Charles and his wife? They are part of you leadership. Ask them too.'

The Royal family don't govern the UK. Our Prime Minister answered the question yesterday. Our Foreign Secretary answered the question. Our Chancellor answered the question (badly). The Leader of the Opposition answered the question (even worse).

I don't care what Prince Charles thinks. He doesn't make or enforce the law.

@Why2why

It’s being asked of everyone? Kate Middleton? The Queen, Charles and his wife? They are part of you leadership. Ask them too.

What has been the answer of all your female politicians? Are you hounding them or they they all give an answer and a satisfactory one?

Let black women breathe.

Did I mention any of the royal family?

I doubt seamstresses in Bolton are being asked either.

And our female politicians are following their party lead, for the main part. Meaning all the left wing parties are fucking useless and only the Tories know what a woman is.

You see, the UK is way further on down the line when it comes to directly challenging gender ideology. That's why so much is written about Terf Island etc. We are trying to reverse what has been done in private and to force all organisations to check their policies and procedures and correct them.

And we don't particularly care what colour their skin is, we just demand that they are not science deniers.

And we don't particularly care what colour their skin is, we just demand that they are not science deniers.
love it

Oh, and the royal family aren't an active part of our leadership. The queen is titular head of state only. She has bugger all to do with setting of policy!

If racism really was your concern why2why, you would be focused on that. Not patrolling Mumsnet. I mean you're right, it's a distraction. Imagine all the other things we could do instead if we didn't have to keep going back to first principles.

We wouldn't need to expend energy on defending women's rights if you reserved your energy for fighting racism rather than attacking sex based rights.