Rush for gender balance could ‘destroy’ judiciary, claims Sumption | News | Law Socie

[Legal Beagles]

Rush for gender balance could ‘destroy’ judiciary, claims Sumption22 September 2015By Chloe SmithTopics: Equality and diversity,JudicialPrint EmailShareComments (19) SaveinShare53Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption has warned that a push to increase the gender balance at the top of the judiciary could have ‘appalling consequences’ for justice.In an interview with the London Evening Standard, Sumption said that... Read more »
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[Amethyst]

Re: Rush for gender balance could ‘destroy’ judiciary, claims Sumption | News | Law S

Response to reaction to Lord Sumption's interview with the Evening Standard

22 September 2015

Responding to commentary following Lord Sumption's interview with the Evening Standard, published yesterday (21 September), a spokesman for the Supreme Court said:
"Some of Lord Sumption's comments appear to have been misunderstood. The full quotes make clear that he believes that increasing diversity at all levels of the profession is important, and that the range of hidden barriers to improving diversity - particularly of the judiciary - present a very complex problem. Nowhere did he try and reduce this to a simple question of 'lifestyle choice'. The concern he expressed was against introducing any form of positive discrimination to the judicial appointments system without careful analysis of the full range of potential consequences."
Lord Sumption's position is set out in detail in a lecture he gave in November 2012.

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Statement from SCJ.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Rush for gender balance could ‘destroy’ judiciary, claims Sumption | News | Law S

One point that's often forgotten is that not every woman wants to make it to the top just so we can say we are equal to our male counterparts. Equal opportunities and equal pay for the same kind of work should always apply, however, that's not the same as setting out to achieve a 50/50 M/F split.

Some women still make a choice to be housewives and stay-at-home mums even in the 21st century. I know a few of them. Others just want to work part-time or flexible hours so they can spend time with the kids while they are growing up and get involved in their school work and their lives.

The social and cultural side of things is subject to change but biology is not. Women are the only ones physically capable of getting pregnant, giving birth and breastfeeding. The two genders also have different quantities of the various hormones; men have more testosterone which makes them more inclined to be competitive, etc. That could explain why a lot of physical achievements such as conquering the highest peaks and setting flags on the poles, were performed by men. The two genders deserve equal rights but are, by no means, equal.