Summary

The chapter entitled “Inheritance” explores dynamics related to misogyny and sexism in the United States. Lalami begins by discussing the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. During his Senate hearings, a professor named Christine Blasey Ford provided testimony that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were college students. Ford did not want a sexual assailant deciding sexual assault cases at the highest court in the country. Many people scorned Ford for her testimony. These people, some of whom were senators in the hearings, accused Ford of lying and of attempting to wantonly disgrace Kavanaugh. They also questioned why, if Ford was telling the truth, she had not reported Kavanaugh already. Lalami recalls one time when she stood up to a boss of hers who frequently sexually harassed female employees. Lalami was fired mere...