Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a pioneer of her time. She inspired so many women throughout her life and generations of women to come. You don’t need to be an aspiring lawyer or supreme court justice to revel in the great influence this woman has had on women in North America. She remains a cultural icon and symbol of hope for those who experience discrimination, whether that be in the workplace or in other places of life. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was crowned the “Notorious RBG” in 2013 after her dissenting opinion on the Shelby County v. Holder case, which struck down a provision of the Voting Rights Act. This nickname is a play on the name of the Notorious B.I.G., the famous rapper. It reflects her bold and unapologetic approach to her advocacy for justice and inequality which can be compared to the persona of the Notorious B.I.G.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is credited for her tireless fight for gender equality under the law. She experienced sexism first-hand in both her own life and career. Gender discrimination was thought of as par for the course for her generation, she was even asked how she felt about taking a spot in the program away from a man. However, she did not tolerate this treatment. She pushed the boundaries of the time, always striving to do the best. She is an inspiration for her fight to battle and overcome sexism.
She was encouraged by her mother to pursue secondary education. Ginsburg went on to graduate from Cornell University in 1954 and continue on to Harvard Law School, being only one of nine women in a class of 500. For her final year of law school, Ruth transferred to Columbia Law School. Ruth in fact, tied for first in her class when graduating from Columbia.
Her excelling in school wasn’t without challenges. Not only did her male classmates treat her poorly due to gender stereotypes, but so did her professors. One had even offered to give her test answers in exchange for sex. Many women at the time just thought of this treatment as part of the experience of being a woman, Ruth on the other hand wouldn’t accept it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg can be credited for paving the way for generations of women to come in pursuing secondary education and law. She showed women how to strive for opportunities and out themselves out there. During her studies, Ginsburg became the first person to become a member of the law reviews for both Harvard and Columbia. She lived in a time when women needed to work three times as hard as men to get even a slight amount of recognition. This still is an issue today where women feel like they need to go above and beyond at work and school and are labeled as trying too hard, when men are often credited for much less.
Ruth broke stereotypes in many ways, showing women that you can successfully take on more than one passion. On top of law school, she also juggled being a mother and caring for her husband who had cancer at the time. Many women think that they need to either prioritize having a career or having children, but Ginsburg showed it is possible to do both, and excel at both. She is an inspiration for women and was an advocate for women’s rights all throughout her life. Some of her advocacy projects were co-founding the first law journal on women’s rights, co-founding the Women’s Rights Project at ACL, and continuously lobbying for equal pay.
Her tireless efforts have made a lasting impact and changed the legal landscape for all women. Before her time on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg won five landmark Supreme Court cases which established the principle of equal treatment in the law for men and women as well as banished several laws that treated women differently based on gender stereotypes (The Harvard Gazette, 2020). Ginsburg is also remembered for her incredible resilience and fierce determination. She did not let the setbacks she faced slow her down, instead she let the fuel her to continue her fight for justice.
I, like many others, credit Ruth Bader Ginsburg to being my inspiration for pursuing a career in law. She motivates women to believe they can make a difference in the world and to strive for greatness and change. Her legacy and impact will not be forgotten.
Sources
Liz Mineo. “The Life and Legacy of RBG: Harvard community reflected on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburd, a trailblazing, tireless fighter for rights.” The Harvard Gazette. September 20, 2020.