Law Students

Justice Ginsburg on Sotomayor, Gender & the Court, & Roe

By jessie

This week's New York Times Magazine features Emily Bazelon's interview with Justice Ginsburg. It's relatively juicy stuff, given how guarded the Justices generally are. Ginsburg talks about Judge Sotomayor, feeling alone - even ignored - at conference, and how she thinks precedents on reproductive rights and discrimination should and will change.

My favorite tidbits were explanations of the Justice's work-out routine and her quip that if the court were mostly women "[t]he work would not be any easier. Some of the amenities might improve." Another highlight involved the impact O'Connor's retirement has had on Justice Ginsburg's experience. 

Q: What has [being the only woman on the court] been like?

JUSTICE GINSBURG: It?s almost like being back in law school in 1956, when there were 9 of us in a class of over 500, so that meant most sections had just 2 women, and you felt that every eye was on you. Every time you went to answer a question, you were answering for your entire sex. It may not have been true, but certainly you felt that way. You were different and the object of curiosity.

The Justice flip flops a bit on whether gender impacts the substance of the justices' opinions, first saying she resists giving credence to the research on the effect of sex on judging, but then imagining that a majority-women court would decide discrimination cases differently than the current lineup does.

After the jump: Ginsburg's take on Sotomayor's "wise latina woman" comment and what appears to be a politically incorrect misstep of her own.

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Full post as published by Ms. JD on July 08, 2009 (boomark / email).