Law Omits Women And People Of Color, Says Law Professor
Law Omits Women and People of Color, Says Law Professors
by Beth Anne Apple
ANN ARBOR- On February 16, Associate Professor of Law at City University of New York, Patricia Williams spoke to over 100 students in Hutchins Hall. In her speech, "A Critical Theory Perspective on Race and Gender," Williams called for an examination of the way in which the law operates to omit women and people of color at all levels from the literature of the law, from the ranks of lawyers and from the number of those served by the law's interest." William's lecture was one of a series sponsored by the National Lawyers Guild and U-M.
"My ongoing concern is the degree to which people of color and women compose and define society's underclass at an increasingly alarming rate," said Williams, who recently accepted a dual, tenured appointment at University of Wisconsin in both law and women's studies."They are the victims of exploitation of all sorts, as well as victims of violence and pure sexism and racist discrimination. They represent this society's most underserved population by the legal profession. It seems to me, therefore, that this ought to be and has to be this society's most pressing area of representation and responsibility."
Williams described a recent controversy at Stanford wherein a white student defaced a poster of Beethoven. The student, who admitted adding a large nose, big lips and frizzy hair to the poster after leaming that Beethoven was part Black, claimed he was merely exercizing his first amendment rights.
Williams believes the failure to discipline the student rendered "invisible any injury to the Stanford community both Black and white." In reference to pitting the first amendment against other forms of injury Williams wamed, "I'm not denying that we need to protect first amendment
(see LAW, page 11)
LAW from page 6
rights, but we have to begin listening, hearing and taking responsibility for the power of words and for the other forms of power abuses that may be working behind the defense of free speech."
When asked how a law student might counteract the dehumanizing socialization process in law school, Williams suggested that students keep a journal to document the their school experience. To record how law schools routinely degrade women and people of color, Williams maintains a collection of actual racist or dehumanizing test questions. She quoted two examples stating, "You have to think like a racist to get good grades on an exams"
As for her own law school experience she said, "I never suffered so much as when I was in law school. Part of it was discrimination. There is a lot of cruelty in law school. The socialization process is blatant, outrageous and unspeakable."