The #MeToo movement brought forward many allegations of sexual assault against powerful men, and Dr. Ford’s allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is under the microscope because of the governmental consequences it holds. Her testimony on Sept. 27 is a pinnacle of the feminist movement, whether or not she meant it to be, because of the certainty and dedication in her actions. Dr. Ford has risen above her fears and done an unbelievably selfless act in telling the truth.
In the introduction of her testimony, Dr. Ford speaks to being terrified of speaking up because of the effects it may have on her family. Yet, her civic duty and honorable ethical position lead her to make the decision to tell an experience the country needed to hear. She cannot, nor should she, tell the Senate whom to vote for or against; she simply wants the Senate to be able to understand who they are about to appoint to the Supreme Court for the term of life. Dr. Ford’s prowess and courage to do what she thought was right, despite the result of being shamed by hundreds, is an admirable feat. It hurts even more that her fears were well grounded; since coming out, she has had to move from her house and be constantly under security because hordes of uncompassionate and cruel disbelievers are committing secondary victimization. America currently has an epidemic of bullying, and President Trump is the ring leader fertilizing the foundation of this sickness, normalizing it.
Nonetheless, Dr. Ford’s credibility is being questioned because she is a woman. Somehow, all that matters to certain Congressmen, specifically Senator Orrin Hatch, is the “attractive” or “pleasing” qualities of Dr. Ford. The exact societal norms Dr. Ford is fighting against are being used to demean her position as an informant of Kavanaugh’s nomination. Dr. Ford is an extremely educated member of society, reflected by her position as Professor of Psychology at Palo Alto University and Research Psychologist at Stanford University School of Medicine, yet she is still reduced to her outward appearance and judged.
The testimony was magnificent. Dr. Ford spoke the truth, and she did it exquisitely. Her pain shines through from the first mic struggles, to asking for caffeine, to struggling through retelling her sexual assault experience to the world. This experience must be shattering—telling her deepest, darkest secret to every single person with access to the internet. And yet, she sits up straight and moves on with it, not for herself, but for the good of her country. Dr. Ford is a patriot and a believer in the founding ideals of the United States of America. Compared to Judge Kavanaugh’s response—and his endless repetition of the phrase, “We drank beer”—Dr. Ford exemplified dignity and civility. She is a woman—hear her roar.
