论文部分内容阅读
Gender equality has evolved to the point where many are sure that men and women are now treated as equals. Unfortunately, while gender equity is present in most aspects of society, 1)disparities between the sexes are still prevalent in places where one would least expect it—in the legal system.
The courts are and have always been dominated by men. Largely due to the late start women had in entering the law profession, this disparity can also be blamed on public opinion, as women were attempting to break into the legal system. Even 2)Clarence Darrow, famous for his progressive outlook, told the early female 3)attorneys, “You can’t be shining lights at the bar because you are too kind. You can never be corporate lawyers because you are not cold-blooded. You have not a high degree of intellect. You can never expect to get the fees men get.”
Disturbingly, this opinion is still present and has played a large role in preventing women from dominating the upper-4)echelons. Consider this passage, taken from the 5)Commission on Women in the Professions report, “A Current Glance at Women in the Law 2005”: “When education, training, and experience are equal among the sexes, but the rate of employment (and annual salary) remain 6)incongruous, the answer lies in prejudice, rooted in 7)mindset and behavior.”
I conducted research to determine the most common types of bias and their prevalence today. My results 8)encompassed everyone, from high schoolers to professionals, and instances of bias are indeed frequent and tangible, despite our “equal and just” society.
Whether due to popular media or the mindsets of parents, I’ve encountered several highschoolers who have already developed a distinctly biased opinion of female attorneys. In response to the question “If you were on trial for murder, would you prefer to have a male or female attorney represent you?” one student answered, “I would choose a male attorney because guys have a higher 9)standing in court. They can be 10)meaner and stand up for me better.” Another student commented, “I would prefer a male because it’s harder for them to get distracted.”
Until recently, judges took the blame for most of the biased behavior in the 11)courtroom. According to these students, society must prepare for new generations of biased individuals.
While easily 12)pinpointed instances of bias are significantly less common than 30 years ago, female attorneys and other female court personnel continue to report disturbing incidents. Attorney Susan Y. 13)testified that, “Female attorneys long for the easy 14)camaraderie with judges and court personnel enjoyed by men... because it... means a more ready acceptance, a more open ear to a novel or difficult position, a more forgiving attitude towards a mistake—things all 15)litigators need, from time to time.”
Kimberley C., lawyer for the 16)Attorney General, once commented that she had been referred to as “the secretary.” The bias she sees comes mostly from older men who act 17)condescendingly and less professionally toward females. Additionally, she experienced more bias working as a lawyer in her private firm. In another instance, while going before a judge with a male colleague, the judge would only direct questions to him, even though he was there solely to observe the 18)proceedings. Based on the 19)testimony from these women and my research, I have found that the most common types of gender bias in the courts today fall into four categories:
1) The 20)demeaning use of 21)epithets, such as “sweetie” or “honey,” while men are referred to more pro-fessionally.
2) Female attorneys, who are diligent and 22)hard-nosed about their cases, are looked at as unstable or too emotional, while their equally aggressive male 23)counterparts are praised for their hard work.
3) Women are often excluded from friendly conversations between judges and attorneys on topics like the latest football game or fishing trip, which results in feeling disadvantaged, because such conversations lead to friendly bonds in the courtroom.
4) Men complain they were cheated out of 24)custody by judges who 25)cling to the idea that children belong with their mother.
These instances of bias may seem subtle but the fact that prejudice exists in the very justice system of a society that 26)brags of its blind eye to gender, race, and religion is startling. Through case studies and committee reports, state courts and task forces have pro-ven that the best method for 27)eradicating bias is education. You, the reader, are now aware of the issue. Do not turn a blind eye. Do not let gender bias 28)manifest itself in our society.
性别平等的观念已经发展成这样一种局面：很多人确信男人和女人现在已经被平等对待了。不幸的是，当性别平等在社会的大部分领域已经成为现实，性别歧视却仍然在一个它最不可能出现的地方盛行——法律界。
法庭一直被男人统治着，现在也如此。这其中的原因主要是妇女进入法律行业较晚。这种差别还可以归咎于公众对于妇女努力打入法律界所抱的态度。即使因观念进步而扬名的克拉伦斯•达罗也曾这样对早期女律师说：“你们不可能在法庭上出风头，因为你们太善良了。你们永远也成不了公司律师，因为你们不够冷血。你们没有高智商，你们绝不可能与男人同酬。”
让人不安的是，这种观点如今仍然盛行，并且在阻止女性晋升到高层时起到了重要作用。看看以下这个摘自职业妇女委员会的《2005年法律界女性现状报告》的段落：“如果在教育背景、职业训练和经验方面已经实现了性别平等，而两性就业率（以及年薪）依然不相称的话，那么答案只可能在于人观念和行为的偏见。”
我曾对最常见的偏见以及其在当前的盛行程度进行了研究。我的研究范围包括各类人，从中学生到专业人员，结果是，尽管我们的社会标榜“平等、公正”，但有关偏见的事例确实常见而实在。
也不知道是受大众媒体的影响，还是受父母思想倾向的影响，我碰上了好几名已经对女律师形成明显偏见的中学生。当被问道“如果你因被指控谋杀而受审，你是倾向于选择男律师还是女律师为你辩护”，一名学生回答道：“我会选择男律师，因为男人在法庭上占有更高的地位。他们会更刻薄，会更好地为我辩护。”另一名学生这样说，“我会选男律师，因为他们较不容易分心。”
一直到近年，法庭上大部分的带偏见的行为都要归咎于法官。根据这些学生的回答，社会必须为心存偏见的新一代人做好准备了。
虽说那些容易辨认的偏见事例明显比三十年前少了许多，但女律师及其他女性法庭工作人员不断说出了令人不安的事例。苏珊•Y律师表示，“女律师渴望与男性一样，可以跟法官和法庭工作人员有轻松融洽的友情……因为那……意味着我们会更容易被接纳，面对崭新的或难做好的工作时，会有人更乐于聆听我们的声音，偶尔做错时人们会更包容——这些是所有的律师时不时都需要的。”
金伯莉•C是司法部长的律师。她有一次提到她曾被称为“秘书”。她觉得偏见大部分来自那些抱着优越感并采取一种不专业的态度来对待女性的老男人。此外，她在自己开办的私人律师事务所工作时经历了更多的偏见事件。有一次，她与一名男同事去见法官，法官只向她的男同事提问，而他只不过是去观摩诉讼程序而已。根据这些妇女的陈述和我的研究，我发现如今在法庭上最常见的性别偏见可以分为以下四类：
1)使用有损身份的称呼，如“亲爱的”或者“宝贝”，而用在男性同行身上的称呼则更具职业性。
2)工作勤勉、处理案件精明而实际的女律师会被看成反复无常或者太感情用事；而同样积极进取的男同行则会因为他们努力工作而受到赞扬。
3)女性法律工作者通常会被排斥在那些法官和律师之间友好的谈话之外，谈话内容包括最近的橄榄球赛或者钓鱼之行。这样一来，女性法律工作者便感觉自己处于劣势，因为这些谈话会在法庭上带来友好的关系。
4)男人抱怨说他们被那些认为孩子应该属于母亲的法官欺骗，失去了对孩子的监管权。
这些歧视的势力的现象看起来可能不明显，但是在一个吹嘘自己对性别、种族和宗教没有歧视的社会里，偏见的存在本身就足以令人震惊。通过案例研究和一些委员会的报告，各州法庭和专门工作组已经证明，消除偏见的最好方法就是教育。你，这篇文章的读者，现在已经知道了这个问题的存在。不要视而不见。不要让性别偏见在我们的社会里自圆其说。
The courts are and have always been dominated by men. Largely due to the late start women had in entering the law profession, this disparity can also be blamed on public opinion, as women were attempting to break into the legal system. Even 2)Clarence Darrow, famous for his progressive outlook, told the early female 3)attorneys, “You can’t be shining lights at the bar because you are too kind. You can never be corporate lawyers because you are not cold-blooded. You have not a high degree of intellect. You can never expect to get the fees men get.”
Disturbingly, this opinion is still present and has played a large role in preventing women from dominating the upper-4)echelons. Consider this passage, taken from the 5)Commission on Women in the Professions report, “A Current Glance at Women in the Law 2005”: “When education, training, and experience are equal among the sexes, but the rate of employment (and annual salary) remain 6)incongruous, the answer lies in prejudice, rooted in 7)mindset and behavior.”
I conducted research to determine the most common types of bias and their prevalence today. My results 8)encompassed everyone, from high schoolers to professionals, and instances of bias are indeed frequent and tangible, despite our “equal and just” society.
Whether due to popular media or the mindsets of parents, I’ve encountered several highschoolers who have already developed a distinctly biased opinion of female attorneys. In response to the question “If you were on trial for murder, would you prefer to have a male or female attorney represent you?” one student answered, “I would choose a male attorney because guys have a higher 9)standing in court. They can be 10)meaner and stand up for me better.” Another student commented, “I would prefer a male because it’s harder for them to get distracted.”
Until recently, judges took the blame for most of the biased behavior in the 11)courtroom. According to these students, society must prepare for new generations of biased individuals.
While easily 12)pinpointed instances of bias are significantly less common than 30 years ago, female attorneys and other female court personnel continue to report disturbing incidents. Attorney Susan Y. 13)testified that, “Female attorneys long for the easy 14)camaraderie with judges and court personnel enjoyed by men... because it... means a more ready acceptance, a more open ear to a novel or difficult position, a more forgiving attitude towards a mistake—things all 15)litigators need, from time to time.”
Kimberley C., lawyer for the 16)Attorney General, once commented that she had been referred to as “the secretary.” The bias she sees comes mostly from older men who act 17)condescendingly and less professionally toward females. Additionally, she experienced more bias working as a lawyer in her private firm. In another instance, while going before a judge with a male colleague, the judge would only direct questions to him, even though he was there solely to observe the 18)proceedings. Based on the 19)testimony from these women and my research, I have found that the most common types of gender bias in the courts today fall into four categories:
1) The 20)demeaning use of 21)epithets, such as “sweetie” or “honey,” while men are referred to more pro-fessionally.
2) Female attorneys, who are diligent and 22)hard-nosed about their cases, are looked at as unstable or too emotional, while their equally aggressive male 23)counterparts are praised for their hard work.
3) Women are often excluded from friendly conversations between judges and attorneys on topics like the latest football game or fishing trip, which results in feeling disadvantaged, because such conversations lead to friendly bonds in the courtroom.
4) Men complain they were cheated out of 24)custody by judges who 25)cling to the idea that children belong with their mother.
These instances of bias may seem subtle but the fact that prejudice exists in the very justice system of a society that 26)brags of its blind eye to gender, race, and religion is startling. Through case studies and committee reports, state courts and task forces have pro-ven that the best method for 27)eradicating bias is education. You, the reader, are now aware of the issue. Do not turn a blind eye. Do not let gender bias 28)manifest itself in our society.
性别平等的观念已经发展成这样一种局面：很多人确信男人和女人现在已经被平等对待了。不幸的是，当性别平等在社会的大部分领域已经成为现实，性别歧视却仍然在一个它最不可能出现的地方盛行——法律界。
法庭一直被男人统治着，现在也如此。这其中的原因主要是妇女进入法律行业较晚。这种差别还可以归咎于公众对于妇女努力打入法律界所抱的态度。即使因观念进步而扬名的克拉伦斯•达罗也曾这样对早期女律师说：“你们不可能在法庭上出风头，因为你们太善良了。你们永远也成不了公司律师，因为你们不够冷血。你们没有高智商，你们绝不可能与男人同酬。”
让人不安的是，这种观点如今仍然盛行，并且在阻止女性晋升到高层时起到了重要作用。看看以下这个摘自职业妇女委员会的《2005年法律界女性现状报告》的段落：“如果在教育背景、职业训练和经验方面已经实现了性别平等，而两性就业率（以及年薪）依然不相称的话，那么答案只可能在于人观念和行为的偏见。”
我曾对最常见的偏见以及其在当前的盛行程度进行了研究。我的研究范围包括各类人，从中学生到专业人员，结果是，尽管我们的社会标榜“平等、公正”，但有关偏见的事例确实常见而实在。
也不知道是受大众媒体的影响，还是受父母思想倾向的影响，我碰上了好几名已经对女律师形成明显偏见的中学生。当被问道“如果你因被指控谋杀而受审，你是倾向于选择男律师还是女律师为你辩护”，一名学生回答道：“我会选择男律师，因为男人在法庭上占有更高的地位。他们会更刻薄，会更好地为我辩护。”另一名学生这样说，“我会选男律师，因为他们较不容易分心。”
一直到近年，法庭上大部分的带偏见的行为都要归咎于法官。根据这些学生的回答，社会必须为心存偏见的新一代人做好准备了。
虽说那些容易辨认的偏见事例明显比三十年前少了许多，但女律师及其他女性法庭工作人员不断说出了令人不安的事例。苏珊•Y律师表示，“女律师渴望与男性一样，可以跟法官和法庭工作人员有轻松融洽的友情……因为那……意味着我们会更容易被接纳，面对崭新的或难做好的工作时，会有人更乐于聆听我们的声音，偶尔做错时人们会更包容——这些是所有的律师时不时都需要的。”
金伯莉•C是司法部长的律师。她有一次提到她曾被称为“秘书”。她觉得偏见大部分来自那些抱着优越感并采取一种不专业的态度来对待女性的老男人。此外，她在自己开办的私人律师事务所工作时经历了更多的偏见事件。有一次，她与一名男同事去见法官，法官只向她的男同事提问，而他只不过是去观摩诉讼程序而已。根据这些妇女的陈述和我的研究，我发现如今在法庭上最常见的性别偏见可以分为以下四类：
1)使用有损身份的称呼，如“亲爱的”或者“宝贝”，而用在男性同行身上的称呼则更具职业性。
2)工作勤勉、处理案件精明而实际的女律师会被看成反复无常或者太感情用事；而同样积极进取的男同行则会因为他们努力工作而受到赞扬。
3)女性法律工作者通常会被排斥在那些法官和律师之间友好的谈话之外，谈话内容包括最近的橄榄球赛或者钓鱼之行。这样一来，女性法律工作者便感觉自己处于劣势，因为这些谈话会在法庭上带来友好的关系。
4)男人抱怨说他们被那些认为孩子应该属于母亲的法官欺骗，失去了对孩子的监管权。
这些歧视的势力的现象看起来可能不明显，但是在一个吹嘘自己对性别、种族和宗教没有歧视的社会里，偏见的存在本身就足以令人震惊。通过案例研究和一些委员会的报告，各州法庭和专门工作组已经证明，消除偏见的最好方法就是教育。你，这篇文章的读者，现在已经知道了这个问题的存在。不要视而不见。不要让性别偏见在我们的社会里自圆其说。