Judge Brett Kavanaugh was in the hot seat for his confirmation hearings. But now he faces even greater scrutiny following accusations of sexual assault. All eyes are on him and one of his accusers as they are both called in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Stakes are high as we approach the mid-term elections.

As noted by legal scholar Aya Gruber, “These [sexual] allegations are so meaningful to women because they seem to confirm their suspicion that he has a problem with women. The real worry is that Kavanaugh is an adherent of patriarchal values, and he is going to undo Roe v. Wade. If so, women will be prosecuted for making health choices; they’ll also find it harder to access contraception…Given Kavanaugh’s overall record on women’s rights and issues of gender justice, women were already uncomfortable that this may be a person who has a broader problem with women as equal human beings. For them, these allegations are confirming that view. That’s why they resonate with people. They see this as bad behavior that confirms their suspicion of how he views women.”