At this point in history, this is hardly a new or revolutionary idea. In fact, it’s on a par with “slavery is immoral!” or “free the serfs!” I lament the fact that we live in a world where someone like Beinart can think this is a big, bright, new idea. But, that’s the perpetual childishness of our discourse when it comes to women’s and gender issues.

I don’t know where you get your information that “*mothers* are underrepresented” compared to non-mothers–on the Supreme Court right now there is one mother and one non-mother. It all depends on where you’re looking and how you draw the lines, I suppose. For me, the greater problem is that there are only two women, and only three women total in 230 years of court history who have served.

I really don’t think Beinart was saying that childless women are less desirable as people or as politically powerful figures. I think his point about showing that a woman *can* be a parent while holding a very important and work-intensive job is rather valid, because while it should be perfectly acceptable for women not to have children, the reality is that many do *want* to, which means that it’s also very important for that to be compatible with having a high-profile career. Yes, of course these women’s husbands (if they have them) should be doing an equal share of the housework and childcare, and yes, unfortunately they probably won’t, but at least if there are many well-known examples of women succeeding at both being parents and being politicians/judges/etc. the idea may become more accepted.

As to whether paying attention to the parent status of a potential candidate reinforces stereotypes: um, I feel like, at least in the case of women, a lot of attention is *already* paid to this, so it would be good at least to ensure that it’s not attention of the oh-if-she-has-a-family-we-don’t-want-her type.
And more directly to the stereotype issue: well, how is that different from the notion that specifically asking for a female candidate reinforces gender stereotypes by assuming that a woman will necessarily contribute a meaningfully different perspective? (I guess the answer would be that women are a category specifically underrepresented, and they shouldn’t be, hence we want more of them (us). However, while, as it has been pointed out, parents per se are not underrepresented, *mothers* are (even compared to women in general, it seems), so I feel like that would apply there too.)

Or, like that old commercial: “The baby! The DOG! Calgon, take me away!”

And of course Beinert isn’t writing about a woman taking anything. He seeks to influence a decision of the d00ds and by the d00ds, though perhaps not for the d00ds. Reject the bad kind of woman, Mr. President, and extend your d00dly bounty to the good kind.

I bet she’d be even happier hearing Bienart doing the dishes in the morning or or hearing him put the two year old to bed while she is finishing her briefcase. To paraphrase my favorite Charles Barkley ad from the 90′s. “Just because I can draft a brief and strike down legislation doesn’t make me a role model, spouses should be role models”

“For all the Moms who have traded eyeliner for dark circles, salon hair cuts for ponytails, long showers for stubble on their legs, late nights for early mornings, designer purses for diaper bags and wouldn’t change a thing!! I LOVE MY KIDS!!!! With Mother’s day drawing near lets see how many Mom’s Repost this. Mom’s don’t care what they gave up …and will continue to give up for our kids! ♥”

Obviously, any mother who makes it to the Supreme Court is a very bad mother for not giving enough up … or any mother who actually misses her designer purses, or her chance at a legal career.

Children were no such thing for two out of the three female Justices when they were nominated. And as for his role model claims, notice Beiner didn’t say anything about O’Connor or Ginsburg inspiring girls about motherhood, because they didn’t. I doubt young girls would think Wood’s old-ish kids have anything to do with their lives.

But whatever, for Beinert. It’s all laydeebizness and thus not important, so he doesn’t have to bother firing up his brain before sorting women into a worthy and an unworthy pile.