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Judith L. Lichtman, Senior Advisor, National Partnership for Women and Families

Gotcha? Hardly!

| Jul 14, 2018

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In his latest online column, Bret Stephens smugly lectures progressives and Democrats for what he sees as a lost and misguided cause, opposing confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the U.S. Supreme Court. As part of his argument, Stephens takes me to task for having opposed confirmation of David Souter nearly 30 years ago.

Let me be clear: I apologize to no one for taking that position, nor do any of us who care about women’s rights and freedoms. When President George H.W. Bush nominated him, there was no reason to believe Souter wouldn’t vote to take away our right to choose abortion and other crucial civil and human rights. Souter’s record was concerning, his answers to questions from senators evasive. It was a happy and very welcome surprise when Souter turned out to be a man of conscience, but there was no way we could have known that. And it would have been reckless for women to bet our lives on that unlikely outcome — just as it would be utterly senseless for us to bet our lives on Brett Kavanaugh doing an about-face and suddenly showing decency and respect for women’s rights today.

Further, we know that the radical anti-abortion movement considers the Souter nomination to have been a terrible mistake; its leaders have gone to extreme lengths to ensure they never again appoint a justice who respects women’s rights and freedoms. On that point, President Trump has been an open book. He has told us who Brett Kavanaugh is and what test Kavanaugh had to pass to win this nomination. Kavanaugh would be a justice who sides with wealthy corporations, with those who discriminate and pollute, and with those who want to take away women’s most fundamental rights. In doing so, he would jeopardize and diminish women’s lives.

That is what’s at stake here: our lives. Our right to abortion care and ability to access it is about our health, the well-being and future of our families, our autonomy and our dignity. Ultimately it is about our ability to be equal.

So while Bret Stephens handicaps the battle, we fight for women’s lives. For me, it’s about the future my daughters and granddaughters deserve. I’ll never apologize for that.

About the Author

Judith L. Lichtman

Judith L. Lichtman

Judith L. Lichtman has been a guiding and influential force in the women's movement for more than 40 years. She stepped down as president of the National Partnership for Women & Families in 2004, and is presently senior advisor at the National Partnership. Her commitment, vision, and talent as an attorney and advocate have made a profound difference for women and families across the United States.

Lichtman often says: "I went to law school because being a lawyer gave me a license for activism." After receiving her law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1965, Lichtman worked for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Jackson State College, the Urban Coalition, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and as legal advisor to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In 1974, Lichtman became the executive director and first paid staff person for the Women's Legal Defense Fund (WLDF), which became the National Partnership for Women & Families in February 1998.

Under Lichtman's leadership, the National Partnership has been at the forefront of every major piece of civil rights legislation related to women and families for more than 40 years. Founded as a small volunteer group, the National Partnership has grown into a national organization with thousands of members and has become one of the country's most influential strategic forces, shaping national policy through its advocacy, lobbying, litigation, and public education. Lichtman's vision and the National Partnership's strength and direct leadership have resulted in the passage of some of the most important legal protections for American women and families, including the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. In 1996, the National Partnership helped shape key provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that make it easier for women and their families to get and keep health coverage. More recently, Lichtman has led efforts to promote patient protections and to bring paid family and medical leave to California.

Lichtman has been recognized by civic and legal organizations, business and labor leaders, and others for her strategic abilities, political savvy, effectiveness in creating powerful and diverse coalitions, and her tireless commitment to building a truly just society. President Clinton called Lichtman "a remarkable national treasure," and Washingtonian magazine has identified her as one of Washington, DC's most powerful women and Washingtonian of the Year in 1986. The Sara Lee Corporation awarded her the 1989 Frontrunner Award in the area of Humanities. That same year, the Women's Bar Association named her Woman Lawyer of the Year. In 2000, Lichtman received the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Hubert H. Humphrey Award for her contributions to the advancement of human and civil rights.

Says Lichtman, "For over 40 years, I've tried to make this world a better place for women and families. We've come a long way, but our work is far from done. My daughters, and all our children, deserve a future where every school and workplace is truly free of discrimination, and where all families have the support they need to succeed at home and on the job. I know from experience – if we can imagine it, we can make it happen."

Lichtman lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband Elliott. They have two married daughters and four grandchildren.

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