Supremely Ignored

Following up on the discussion about being ignored both here on the blog and in AASWOMEN, here's an interesting article from last week in USA Today about Justice Ginsburg. (See also commentary from the XX factor at Slate.com.)

Much of the article is about Ginsburg's career history and strong opinions about having another woman on the Court, but this part sticks out:

"I don't know how many meetings I attended in the '60s and the '70s, where I would say something, and I thought it was a pretty good idea. … Then somebody else would say exactly what I said. Then people would become alert to it, respond to it."

Even after 16 years as a justice, she said, that still sometimes occurs. "It can happen even in the conferences in the court. When I will say something — and I don't think I'm a confused speaker — and it isn't until somebody else says it that everyone will focus on the point."

You'd think that in the 21st century and in the highest court in the land that being ignored for being a woman wouldn't be an issue. Then again, those of us familiar with being in a minority of around 11% (say, in certain physical sciences) might understand how it happen.

h/t to A, who keeps sending me such interesting articles!