The first female Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Since then, the Senate has confirmed four other women.
If the Senate confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson, she will be the first black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging the historical nature of female and racial advancement. Such traits are not wholly definitive of a person. Still, such recognition is healthy for a society once mired in inequality. But it’s interesting to see how the media reaction to Jackson has been nothing short of glowing admiration. Not so long ago, Justice Amy Coney Barrett was in the same spotlight and received unfair criticism for things that now garner Jackson praise. The hypocrisy is glaring.
Jackson enjoys the support of her husband, Patrick Jackson, and her family. During her opening statement on Monday, she stated, “I have no doubt that without him by my side from the very beginning of this incredible professional journey, none of this would have been possible. We met in college more than three decades ago, and since then, he’s been the best husband, father, and friend I could ever imagine. Patrick, I love you.” Referring to motherhood and her two daughters, Jackson said, “Girls, I know it has not been easy as I have tried to navigate the challenges of juggling my career and motherhood. And I fully admit that I did not always get the balance right.”
These were touching, honest moments.
The media have fawned over Jackson’s judicial, spousal, and motherhood roles in ways that Barrett was denied. Jackson enjoys enthusiastic praise in articles like these below:
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Ketanji Brown Jackson’s comments on motherhood, her husband’s tears and what they mean for a historic moment
(USA Today). -
Ketanji Brown Jackson Tells The Truth About What It’s Like To Be A Lawyer And A Mother
(Above the Law blog). -
The Supreme Mom Guilt Is Real: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and Motherhood
(Ms. Magazine).
On the other hand, Barrett, also a wife and working mother, was met with condemnation in articles like these ones.
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The Power — And Threat — Of Mothers Like Amy Coney Barrett
(Glamour). -
Amy Coney Barrett and the Myth of the Working Mother
(Harpers Bazaar). -
Amy Coney Barrett’s Adoption Myths
(New York Magazine). -
Amy Coney Barrett And The Cult Of Conservative White Womanhood
(BuzzFeed News).
The takeaway: Successfully navigating a demanding career while being a wife and mother is a good thing. Just so long, that is, as your politics align with the Left. If not, you’re simply problematic.
To be clear, I celebrate Jackson’s success in private and personal life, not diminish it. The issue I have is the press and Democrats did not afford Barrett the same treatment. She is no less of a success — she simply holds judicial and personal beliefs that are anathema to much of the media. Both women are capable of withstanding criticism about their professional opinions. But the lack of respect given to one wife and mother while the other gets lauded for her familial accomplishments is shameful.
What are Barrett’s actual sins in the eyes of the militant Left? She happens to be pro-life and observantly religious. The Left cannot overlook those “offenses.” And that attitude comes from those who demand diversity yet deny the intellectual type.
Jackson and Barrett may have different political and judicial philosophies. Still, they share a common theme of succeeding as a wife and mother, loved by their families, and rising to the top of their profession. The media treatment of Barrett would lead one to believe her personal gains are insufficient while Jackson’s are good.
It is wrong.
Kimberly Ross (Â
@SouthernKeeks
 ) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
