With all the unsettling news relating to the newest supreme court nomination, I opened up Hulu and saw the new RBG documentary right before my eyes. Almost as a sign from above, I watched the movie in hopes of gaining a renewed sense of faith in a justice of the Supreme Court and a champion of Women’s rights, and let’s just say it did not disappoint. The documentary (directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen) featured Ruth Bader Ginsberg herself in interviews highlighting her path to the supreme court and the influential cases that got her to where she is today. With the powerful quote as highlighted in the trailer attached below, RBG states “I ask no favor for my sex, all I ask of our brethren, is that the take their feet off our necks.”
Two Cases RBG argued before becoming a Supreme Court Justice
Frontiero v. Richardson – Sharron Frontiero, a member of the Air Force in the 70’s was looking for spousal support for her husband who was also a “dependent” of Sharron. Servicewomen had to prove that their husbands were a dependent, and when the military denied him, Frontiero filed a law suit. It ended up in the Supreme Court where RBG argued in favor of Frontiero who ultimately won the case.
Weinberger v.Wiesenfeld- When Stephen Wiesenfeld’s wife died during childbirth, he sought to receive Social Security benefits for him and his son. The Social Security Act only provides benefits to the child when the wife dies, therefore, Wiesenfeld was unable to receive financial support for himself. RBG took this case and won. It became “an important link in the landmark chain of cases Ginsburg brought to get rid of laws she felt made irrational distinctions between men and women” (Robert Barnes, 2014)
Movie Reviews
“RBG is a jaunty assemblage of interviews, public appearances and archival material, organized to illuminate the temperament of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her accomplishments so far” –A.O. Scott, The NY Times
“This riveting, surprisingly touching documentary reveals how the quiet, intense Ginsburg became one the most iconic Supreme Court justices in American history” – Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media
“Rather than focusing on personality, however, the bulk of “RBG” has to do with its subject’s lifelong fight against gender discrimination”- Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post
“What makes it memorable is its portrait of a woman with an exceptional intellect, to be sure, but also a lifelong capacity for staggering amounts of minutely detailed, unswervingly purposeful work” –Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
“RBG” is a powerful movie that shines a light on an individual who has fought for women’s rights during times that men held power positions. She skillfully positioned arguments to argue them in a light that men would would have no other choice but to listen to and therefore try to understand. This movie is a must see for anybody and everybody!!