Two Women in an Elevator

I only heard them mentioned once at first, on NPR. They were nameless then, but their effect may be enormous.

On the afternoon of the testimony that riveted all of us last week, two women were in a Capitol elevator when Senator Jeff Flake stepped in. He’s just announced that he would vote for Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court.

One of them screamed at him that by supporting Kavanaugh, he was ignoring the pain and the emotional damage she had suffered because of a sexual assault.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” she screamed.

Yes, screamed.

All women have been taught not to scream lest we be discounted as “hysterical.” And so the strength of our voices, and of our fury, has been denigrated and eliminated from public discourse. You may be forgiven for screaming at your two year old but not at a U.S. Senator.

A few hours later, Flake reversed his position. Now he will wait to see the FBI report before deciding whether to support Kavanaugh. His vote may be the one needed to change what seemed to be a pre-determined outcome.

Of course there may be other deciding factors, but one thing is sure: two brave women in an elevator may have altered history.

In Politics