America’s women were unfairly and unnecessarily denied entry to the legal profession, Sen. Lindsay Graham said today during senate confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayor. For years, women were asked only, “Can you type?” when considered for legal jobs. “Count me in,” Graham said, referring to hopes for many more women as lawyers and judges.

Given that almost half of all law students are women today, it’s uncertain why the South Carolina senator is anxious about their plight. He also said Iraq would be a better place if women were judges. In other words, the supposedly conservative Republican concurs with Sotomayor that male judges because of their sex cannot be trusted to protect the legitimate interests of both men and women. Graham made a show of criticizing Sotomayor’s famous remark about being a “wise Latina,” but he stunningly agreed with her point. Justice cannot be administered by predominantly male courts.

There seems to be no connection in Graham’s mind between abortion, which he passionately opposes, and the careerism of women. There seems to be no connection in his view between the deterioration in society and the already significant presence of women in many professions. In fact, he feels this trend has not gone far enough.

When the abortion issue is viewed in a vacuum, it leads to this sort of blind cheerleading for the very things that have led to a world with more abortion.  Who but a conservative can articulate the benefits to women of previous customary discrimination against them? Who but a conservative would take this public opportunity to explain to a world steeped in feminist history why so few women were lawyers and judges? Women did not seek to become lawyers and judges in large numbers for most of history. And, they were granted only limited entry for good reason: to protect the interests of children, women and society a large.

Sotomayor was likable. She defended her radically feminist speeches with aplomb. She clearly believes, despite her claims otherwise, that society will be better with many more women in the judiciary. “Life experiences enrich the legal system,” she said.

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