On September 18, 2020, Ruth Bader Ginsburg died from complications of pancreatic cancer. A lot of you might have been confused after logging onto any social media platform with her face plastered everywhere. Some of you might have even thought, “Who is this?” or “Why is it a big deal?” Both are valid points. A lot of us couldn’t name many politicians, supreme court justices, or other people in power, or unfortunately, care when the pass. So, what IS the big deal about RBG?
RBG became the second female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the first female tenured professor at Columbia University, served as the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), just to name a few. Her biggest notability is her never-ending fight for equality. During the beginning of her career, she noticed how time and time again she would encounter gender discrimination while trying to find employment after her graduation (which, by the way, she graduated first in her class from Columbia Law). During her career, while working for the ACLI, she argued 6 landmark cases on gender equality before the U.S. Supreme Court. She believed that that law was “gender-blind” and that all groups were entitled to equal rights.
In 2000, she cumulated huge attention on her opinion in the Bush v. Gore case, which decided the 2000 presidential election. She objected the court majority opinion favoring Bush, RBG concluded her decision by saying “I dissent” rather than the formal, traditional adverb “respectfully”. This little phrase has become a trademark of RBG.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was, is one of the biggest feminist icons to date. Without her, women have the right to:
– Sign a mortgage without a man
– Have a bank account without a male co-signer
– Have a job without being discriminated based on gender
– For women to be pregnant/have kids and work
Politics aside, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an intelligent, fierce woman. She fought for everyone to be able to have rights. She fought for my right to have a seat at the table. She fought for you, me, your siblings, your friends. She was loved, will be dearly missed, but not forgotten. #RestInPower