Litigation

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Speaks on Female Judges

By Jason Barrett

The Harvard Law Review covered Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Linda Greenhouse’s keynote speech at the Third Annual Women’s Law Association Conference last month.  The speech, entitled “What Judges Know,” discussed the role of women in the judiciary.

Citing historic examples of women running in judicial elections, Greenhouse went on to explain how a judge’s life experiences, race, sex and class all impact his or her worldview.  “According to Greenhouse,” the article says, “women rule in favor of sex discrimination claimants significantly more often than male judges. However, males become more favorably inclined toward sex discrimination claims when sitting on panels with at least one woman.”

“The question of whether [gender] makes a difference remains a delicate one,” she said in her speech.  “We cringe from the stereotypes implied in the question,” while at the same time responding to unfriendly reproductive rights cases written by men by saying “women would never write that.”

Full post as published by The Gavel on March 06, 2009 (boomark / email).