Liberal Supreme Court Justice Under Fire After Bizarre Public Appearance

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is facing backlash after stepping out of her judicial role and onto the Broadway stage over the weekend, making her debut in “& Juliet”, a modern, gender-bending take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The play is celebrated for its progressive and queer themes.

The production, billed as a “queer reimagining” of the classic tragedy, prominently features May, Juliet’s “he/she/they” best friend. The justice’s decision to appear in the performance raised eyebrows among critics who argue that Supreme Court justices should steer clear of activities that blur the lines between the judiciary and celebrity culture.

Jackson, undeterred, described the experience as a long-time dream. “I, a Miami girl from a modest background with an unabashed love of theatre, dreamed of one day ascending to the highest court in the land—and I had said so in one of my supplemental application essays,” she wrote in her memoir. “I expressed that I wished to attend Harvard as I believed it might help me ‘to fulfill my fantasy of becoming the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage.’”

The justice took center stage briefly on Saturday night, making history in a performance that left some theatergoers applauding—but left others questioning her judgment. “They have invited me to do a special walk-on role that I’m told they wrote for me,” Jackson said. “So I’m very excited.”

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“I got a call, and someone said, ‘We heard that this was your lifelong dream,'” Jackson explained to NPR. “And it is — to be a Broadway performer and a justice.”

The play gets a spin in the production “& Juliet.” In the retelling, Juliet does not end her life upon finding Romeo dead. Instead, she embarks on a journey to Paris, accompanied by a nonbinary friend. Along the way, Juliet finds herself embroiled in a complex love triangle, exploring new romantic possibilities.

“I feel very much in my element,” she told Vladimir Duthiers on ‘CBS Mornings.’ “I just also think it’s very important to remind people that justices are human beings, that we have dreams, and that we are public servants,” Jackson continued. “I guess this moment reinforces for me that anything is possible.”

Washington, US – 08 Apr 2022

Jackson made history as the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. Nominated by President Joe Biden in 2022, she was confirmed by the Senate with a 53-47 vote, replacing retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. Before her appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Jackson served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Her legal career includes experience as a public defender, a rare background for a Supreme Court justice, and time on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, where she worked on reforming sentencing guidelines.

Jackson faced questions on defining the term “woman” during her Senate confirmation hearings in March 2022. When asked by Senator Marsha Blackburn to define “woman,” Jackson responded, “I’m not a biologist.” This answer drew significant attention and became a point of political and cultural debate.

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