Mariah Koeneke
CONTRIBUTOR
Graphic by Hailey Stessman/The Gateway
With the tragic passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) this fall, everything seems to be upside down. RBG fought for women’s rights through the entirety of her career. From women’s reproductive rights to just women’s rights in general, she has rightfully become a feminist icon.
Soon after her tragic passing, President Donald Trump announced his choice for her replacement, Amy Coney Barrett. Not only was this decision a stab at RBG, who did not want a replacement until a new president has been elected, but Barrett is the complete opposite of RBG.
During Barrett’s confirmation hearings, she did not prove to be the best choice for the job. When asked what the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment, Barrett could not name them. Then, when Senator Kamala Harris asked if Barrett believed in climate change Barrett gave a roundabout answer, contending that it is a “very contentious matter of public debate.” Giving answers that were not real answers seemed to be her specialty during the confirmation hearings.
Let me preface the rest of this with one question: have you ever seen The Handmaid’s Tale?
The award-winning Hulu original is a terrifying scene that is based in a utopian society where women are treated as slaves, wombs and utter trash if they aren’t married to a man in power.
Amy Coney Barrett has been involved in and connected with this small group of Christians, People of Praise, in South Bend, Indiana. People of Praise has very strict gender roles that include seeing women as ‘handmaids’ for childbearing and or wives and giving men ‘headship’ over their wives and families.
Also, they are heavily against same-sex marriage. This is beyond terrifying because she could have the power to repeal the right to same-sex marriage, which was passed under Barack Obama’s presidency in June 2015.
There have been talks about repealing the decision made in the historic case, Roe v. Wade, which protects a woman’s right to a safe, legal abortion in the United States.
If any of these monumental decisions are repealed under Barrett’s reign in the Supreme Court, more chaos than has been previously seen could ensue. We have all seen the massive protests for Black Lives Matter, Trans Lives Matter and LBGTQ+ Lives Matter of the course of quarantine. I believe that if Roe v. Wade is even considered to be repealed, or the right to same-sex marriage is lost, all hell will break loose across America. It could be worse than the summer protests that have occurred, if not the same.
Any of this is now possible because Barrett is confirmed and will soon assume her position as a Supreme Court Justice.
I am genuinely terrified not only as a woman, but as an American citizen.
You should be too.
