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Equal Pay Day represents the day in the current year that women must work to earn the same amount that their white male counterpart earned the year before. Over a lifetime, a woman stands to lose over $1 million dollars in pay. The numbers are even more grim for women of color.
Currently, of the 266 sculptures in the U.S. Capitol that commemorate notable historical figures, just 14 represent women. Bipartisan legislation approved by the House seeks to add statues of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg—the first and second women on the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, March 22, Justice Patricia Guerrero made history when she became the first Latina and the first Lawyers Club member confirmed to the California Supreme Court.
Last week, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement. President Biden thereafter reiterated his pledge to nominate what will be the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.
There have been comments suggesting that by committing to the nomination of a Black woman, we are excluding qualified white male candidates from consideration. But the Court has always considered and given preference to white men over women and people of color. Less than 10% of the justices to ever serve on the Supreme Court have been women. And we have never had a Black woman sit on the Court. The Court serves to represent the people, and therefore should reflect the diversity of our nation—both in terms of demographics and professional background. It is about time.
On December 17, 2021, the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Judge Jinsook Ohta. This makes Judge Ohta the first Asian Pacific American female judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Since the current system of appeals courts was formed in 1891, there have been approximately 806 federal appeals court judges. None have been Korean American women.
Burns realizes the importance of women and people of color seeing her in this role. Burns has said: “Dreams do come true, but not without the help of others, a good education, a strong work ethic, and the courage to lean in. That’s why I spend so much time with organizations that help minorities and women gain the education and self-respect they need to take risks, to dream big, and, I hope, to someday pay it forward.”
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which concerns a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy—the biggest threat to Roe v. Wade in the past 50 years. Roe and its progeny hold that a person’s right to end their pregnancy before viability is a rule of law and a component of liberty that cannot be renounced.
In September, President Joe Biden nominated U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Lopez to the San Diego federal bench. If confirmed, she would be the only active Latina on the district’s bench. Opportunely, her nomination occurred during Hispanic Heritage Month, the origins of which began in the 1960s.
Lawyers Club applauds Judge Pitman’s decision and will continue to fight for reproductive justice. Please join us at the Advocacy & Reproductive Justice event on November 18, 2021.
