Why Our Praise of Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson Isn’t the Support We Think It Is

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Psychological safety is defined as "being able to show and employ one's self without fear of negative consequences of self-image, status or career." It is a term that psychologists use to describe work environments in which people are safe to show up as themselves, experiment, and make mistakes without fear of retribution. It is the hallmark of a strong work environment.

It is also a work environment generally not afforded to Black women. 

As Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson sits through days of intense (and often ridiculous) questioning in her historic bid for the Supreme Court, the general public is bearing witness to what decades of meticulous, calculated perfection from Black women like the honorable Ketanji Brown-Jackson looks like. As we cheer her on, pray for her, and admire her, we are showing care for her, for sure. But we are also doing something I know we don’t intend to do: upholding the rules of white supremacy that state that this is the level of perfection required for Black women to succeed in this country. 

Every time someone comments about Judge Brown’s “articulation,” “poise” and “restraint,” in the face of outlandish and racist questioning, we are unknowingly tying Black girls to unfair and unrealistic standards of engagement.