Court Barber
Draws the line
John Shaw is the last remnant of the Supreme Court's
191-year history as a male•
only institution.
Shaw is the court's barber.
There is no beauty parlor and
no beautician.
But, asked today if he could
cut future Justice Sandra · O'Connor's hair, he replied,
"Yes, sir."
If she wants her hair done
more elaborately, however,
she will have to go elsewhere.
"I don't do permanents," Shaw
said.
The most important indicator of maleness at the court
was put to an end at 3 p.m. last
Nov 14. That is when the
court decided, after a secret
discussion, to drop all refer•
ences in opinions and other
official orders to "Mr. Justice."
The public first became
aware of the change on the
following Monday, when the
court issued an opinion in the
case of Dennis v. Sparks, writ•
ten by "Justice White."
The change reportedly was
adopted in anticipation that,
someday, a woman would be
joining the brethren.
Although the court has a
gymnasium, it has not been
segregated by sex. Women
employers of the court have
been having an exercise class
there, and they have access to
the showers.
The bathrooms in the individual justices' chambers are
configured for unisex use.
- Lyle Denniston