Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump's (inevitably) controversial pick for the Supreme Court, has been swirling around in the news again since being selected. But this time, it is a little bit less about Kavanaugh now and more about Kavanaugh at the ripe age of 17.
Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor, held onto the information for 36 years. But as Kavanaugh came closer and closer to a seat in the Supreme Court, she said, "I feel like my civic responsibility is outweighing my anguish and terror about retaliation." In a shocking, detailed account, Ford alleges Kavanaugh pinned her down against the bed, groped her, attempted to rip off her clothes and put his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams.
She was 15.
It is no wonder Ford was afraid to share her story. Beyond the extensive wait time, Kavanaugh is approaching a position of extreme power. With the #MeToo movement, people are quick to assume women are falsely accusing powerful men of sexual assault to receive money or notoriety. And, like all survivors who come forward years later (or even right away), many people are vehemently against her.
But beyond people believing she's a lying, money-hungry life-ruiner (and here it is worth mentioning that she both passed a polygraph and there are notes from her 2012 couple's therapy about the incident happening), some people do believe her, and simply believe it isn't really a big deal due to Kavanaugh's age:
"Ford claimed Kavanaugh was drunk. Hell, if ATTEMPTED stuff by drunk 17 year-olds is the standard by which we judge the persons in their 50s, I suspect most of the world's men would be in serious trouble!" — @laraineabbey
"Thinking of the accusations against Judge Kavanaugh, even if true, is he the same person now that he was when he was 17? Are you? I know I am not." — @HEassa
"Kavanaugh was 17 years old. I remember when I was 17. Sex was all I thought of. Give this wonderful Judge a break. We were all different in our teenage years." — @2Tebow
Let's jump elsewhere, though, to another classic Kavanaugh point of contention: Abortion. In a now very popular case, a 17-year-old immigrant girl was detained for crossing the border. She was fleeing domestic abuse from her parents, so was unable to provide a parental sponsor. In his final dissenting opinion, Judge Kavanaugh ruled that she could not get an abortion, as illegal immigrant minors shouldn't get "an abortion on demand."
I urge you to put your views on immigration aside and see this: A minor, with a family so abusive she fled illegally while pregnant, was (nearly) forced to have a child. Bringing a child into that situation doesn't seem very "pro-life" to me, it seems somewhere between "pro-birth" and "pro-control." But regardless, Brett Kavanaugh believed that two decisions she made at 17 (to have sex and thus become pregnant and to enter the U.S. illegally) should affect her life forever. Forcing a minor with no family, no home and likely no resources to have a child at 17 will absolutely define her life forever.
And some people seem to agree that that is A-OK.
"I don't think abortions are cool. If you get pregnant, oh well. Deal with it. Shit happens. It might be your karma or something that wronged you." @TrishyyMariee
"You have consensual sex = you take the chance of getting pregnant (duh) & just bc you don't want the responsibility of a child that you unintentionally created doesn't mean it should have to suffer the consequences by being aborted. That's your own fault, grow up & raise your kid. " — @brooklynelson
"If you spread your legs and get pregnant, grow up and raise your child. It's not your baby's fault you're a hoe." @lil_annalyn_
Here's the thing. This article isn't about immigration or abortion or really even sexual assault.
It is about double standards.
If you don't believe Kavanaugh's actions at 17 should dictate the rest of his life, you shouldn't think that a pregnant 17-year-old's actions should dictate the rest of her's, either. There is no world in which a man is simply too young to realize sexual assault is disgusting and wrong but a pregnant woman is in the situation by her own fault.
That is a double standard.
Brett Kavanaugh was 17 years old when he allegedly assaulted a woman, but it is OK because he's in his 50s now and that was simply a mistake kids make and shouldn't have his entire life change because of it.
Brett Kavanaugh was in his 50s when he attempted to deny a 17-year-old immigrant the right to an abortion, which apparently means she was more than just a kid and it was OK for her entire life to be changed because of it.
So should your actions at 17 define your entire life? Brett Kavanaugh says yes — if you're a pregnant woman
