12 - Texas, Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor to the seat no women had ever sat in before. And now we have leaders claiming them in all the highest positions. The most women in Congress. Women nominees for President. This is revolution.
Texas was the ninth state to ratify the amendment on June 28, 1919.
Ronald Reagan vowed to declare a woman to the Supreme Court Justice, and succeeded in nominating Mrs. O’Connor, taking her seat on September 25, 1981. The nomination was fought by conservatives because they perceived her stance on abortion too open and liberal. Because she did not stand openly and loudly against abortion, people doubted her support of Reagan’s platform.
Her nomination included the first televised hearing for the public. Her publicity was confirmed with over 60,000 letters from the public in her first year of office, more than any SOJ in history. She was confirmed a vote of 99-0 by the Senate, the only missing vote from Montana, who regretfully noted they were absent.
SOJ O’Connor frequently aligned with SOJ William Rehnquist. As the Court grew more conservative over her career, she did tend to vote more liberally, but was typically considered a conservative. She was known to be the swing vote in highly divided issues. However, she was always known to align with the conservative side more frequently, giving a lot of opposition by the liberal public.
In February 2005, she sat for the first time as the Senior Presiding Judge on the case of Kelo v. City of New London.
She faced many points of opening the SCOTUS to women, including responding to articles to remind the press that the group is no longer just a group of men. For that, she was a pioneer, and was pleased to share the SCOTUS with Ruth Bader Ginsberg in 1993.
Why this woman?
Having a woman break into this dominated field and be a voice defining how our country would operate was revolutionary. Regardless if I do or would have believed in her stance, this was a defining moment opening the highest of positions to women. She stood strong on the issues, as I believe every justice should. She did not stand with a partisan group, she stood for convictions. She did not turn from her truth. I see that as a role model for women.
I spend my career standing up to men (and women) that are leaders around me. And every day I strive to stand behind my personal convictions with more clarity. It is easy to sway to the popular decision. My natural disposition to moderate situations is constantly challenged. And the more I stand for me, the stronger they stand beside me. I keep growing stronger. Pioneers like Sandra make it more possible.
Texas was the ninth state to ratify the amendment on June 28, 1919.
Ronald Reagan vowed to declare a woman to the Supreme Court Justice, and succeeded in nominating Mrs. O’Connor, taking her seat on September 25, 1981. The nomination was fought by conservatives because they perceived her stance on abortion too open and liberal. Because she did not stand openly and loudly against abortion, people doubted her support of Reagan’s platform.
Her nomination included the first televised hearing for the public. Her publicity was confirmed with over 60,000 letters from the public in her first year of office, more than any SOJ in history. She was confirmed a vote of 99-0 by the Senate, the only missing vote from Montana, who regretfully noted they were absent.
SOJ O’Connor frequently aligned with SOJ William Rehnquist. As the Court grew more conservative over her career, she did tend to vote more liberally, but was typically considered a conservative. She was known to be the swing vote in highly divided issues. However, she was always known to align with the conservative side more frequently, giving a lot of opposition by the liberal public.
In February 2005, she sat for the first time as the Senior Presiding Judge on the case of Kelo v. City of New London.
She faced many points of opening the SCOTUS to women, including responding to articles to remind the press that the group is no longer just a group of men. For that, she was a pioneer, and was pleased to share the SCOTUS with Ruth Bader Ginsberg in 1993.
Why this woman?
Having a woman break into this dominated field and be a voice defining how our country would operate was revolutionary. Regardless if I do or would have believed in her stance, this was a defining moment opening the highest of positions to women. She stood strong on the issues, as I believe every justice should. She did not stand with a partisan group, she stood for convictions. She did not turn from her truth. I see that as a role model for women.
I spend my career standing up to men (and women) that are leaders around me. And every day I strive to stand behind my personal convictions with more clarity. It is easy to sway to the popular decision. My natural disposition to moderate situations is constantly challenged. And the more I stand for me, the stronger they stand beside me. I keep growing stronger. Pioneers like Sandra make it more possible.
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