Co-founder Nancy Hopkins

Nancy Hopkins is an MIT biology professor – a leader in her field and one of The New Agenda co-founders. Last month Hopkins was awarded one of Women’s eNews 2009 21 Leaders for the 21st Century – a distinction shared with Lily Ledbetter. Hopkins knows what it’s like to be in a field dominated by men who are highly educated and smart, but often clueless about gender. Hopkins was in the audience when Larry Summers famously stated that girls are genetically inferior to men when it comes to math and science – a statement Hopkins’ life and career strongly refutes.

This morning, The New York Times reported Obama Chooses Sotomayor for Supreme Court Nominee. Nancy Hopkins wrote the following comment which was published as an Editor’s Selection:

Only when a woman is chosen do people raise the question of qualifications and excellence. Even in the case of this incredible woman.

If someone says “We need a judge from the mid west”, people reply, “good point”. If someone says “We need a judge with experience in this or that” – people reply, “good point”. Only when asked if they want a woman do people say – “Oh no, I’m only interested in excellence.” When a man is chosen no one raises this point! Obama goes out and chooses a woman whose credentials suggest she is practically a genius. Yet people are STILL going to say she was chosen because she is a woman and because of that she is not really good enough. THIS IS what discrimination looks like.

Go Sonia and Go widowed mother-of-Sonia. You deserve all of this success and more. This is the American dream come true. You make us proud to be Americans.

— Nancy, New York

Good point Nancy – and we say this – YOU GO GIRL!!!