On Friday, September 18th, I received a text from my sister saying that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died. Immediately, I was filled with so many emotions. I personally didn’t know much about her at the time other than that she was a Supreme Court Justice and that she had done so much for women during her professional career. Even though my knowledge of her was limited, I still felt so strongly about her passing because I knew how influential she was and how I have some of the rights and freedoms that I do because of her.
Related: On Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Feminist Legacy
Ginsburg was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1933. Growing up in a low-income neighborhood, the importance of education was stressed upon her by her mother. After graduating high school, Ginsburg attended Cornell where she graduated top of her class. She decided to further her education by studying law at both Harvard and Columbia. She did this while being a mother and caring for her husband who was battling testicular cancer. Despite this, Ginsburg still had trouble finding a job in such a male-dominated field in the 1960’s. After overcoming misogyny in the professional world, she was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia by Jimmy Carter in 1980. Thirteen years later, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, and later became the leader of the liberal wing.
Ginsburg revolutionized gender equality throughout her lifetime. Before becoming a Justice, she had directed the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, in which she fought several cases of gender discrimination. Just three years after being appointed, she wrote the ruling that allowed women to attend the Virginia Military Institute. She also famously dissented in Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. where the plaintiff, a female employee who was making considerably less money than her male coworkers. The employee sued under Title IX and was denied relief. Ginsburg urged Congress to rectify the court’s decision, and then worked with Barack Obama to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. She did much of this work while battling cancer and making trips to the hospital for treatment, demonstrating just how dedicated she was to her cause.
Ginsburg changed the way the courts treat women entirely. She stood up for gender equality, a woman’s right to choose, and pay inequality, just to name a few. She inspired every generation of women after her to stand up for themselves and what they deserve. Former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren said it perfectly, “As a young mom heading off to Rutgers law school, I saw so few examples of female lawyers or law professors. But Ruthie blazed the trail. I’m forever grateful for her example — to me, and to millions of young women who saw her as a role model.” I believe Ginsburg will continue to be an exceptional role model for years to come, and that she should be used as a prime example that women can be both mothers and professionals. She is a model of hard work, integrity, and moral genuinity.
Despite who ends up taking Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court and if Donald Trump is the one to make the appointment, it’s important to honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life instead of solely using her death to further a political agenda. It is imperative that we remember her tireless effort for women’s equality, and that we keep working towards the goals that were important to her.
Thank you Justice Ginsburg, for working so incredibly hard for women’s equality. We are so grateful for your sacrifices. May you rest in power.