Ruth Bader Ginsburg – also know as RBG – is a total badass! She is one of my role models, as she has always fought for women’s rights well before it was cool and wasn’t afraid of being a feminist.
RBG was coming into herself and her power at the same time as other feminist powerhouses, like Hillary Clinton and Gloria Steinem. As a new wave of feminism was changing society, so were these women.
I recently watched On the Basis of Sex, a movie about RBG’s early life as a lawyer. It showed RBG (played by Felicity Jones) fighting to be taken seriously as a female lawyer while traversing law school at Harvard and Columbia (where she was top of her class), taking care of her sick husband, raising her two children, and dealing with sexism.
These are some of favorite moments from the movie!
- Props to RBG for Tackling Her Obstacles
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At one point, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was raising a newborn baby, caring for her cancer striken husband, AND attend both hers and Marty’s law classes! Can’t say Ruth didn’t bust ass to get where she is today.
- Her Husband was a Feminist
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Her husband, Marty, was always supportive of her law career. He never doubted her ability to be the great lawyer that she is today. In the scene where Ruth was practicing her appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Delware, when a fellow male lawyer tried to convinced Marty to do the oral presentation instead of Ruth, he refused at first. He knew his wife was the expert of gender laws, and he refused to take her spotlight away.
He said, “No, Ruth is the expert of gender laws.” He was angry that they would even suggest that he take Ruth’s role.
Even in the actual court scene, he kept trying to pass the torch to Ruth, but the three male judges wouldn’t allow him too. They tried to humilate Ruth, but Marty never doubted her.
We love seeing a supportive, feminist husband!
- Male Lawyers Were Not Interested in Changing Civil Liberties, but that Didn’t Stop Ruth
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Male lawyers didn’t want to take the case that would help a male caretaker, just because it would help women in the long run! They knew the Ginsburgs’ motive for taking the case, and refused to believe changing the precedent would be a good thing, because it would change so many laws that discriminated against gender.
- Ruth is the Queen of Comebacks!
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Nothing had me smiling more than listening to Ruth Bader Ginsburg throw back a shady comeback at some dude who didn’t believe in her.
Here are some of my favorites!
1. Man: “Would it kill you to smile?”
Ruth: “That’s your advice?”
2. Man: “Get your emotions in check.:
Ruth: “You first.”
3. Ruth: “Actually what I’m using now, I learned at Columbia.”
4. Ruth: “Your honor, I understand how government works.”
5. Man: “The word ‘woman’ does not appear in the constitution.”
Ruth: “Nor does the word ‘freedom.'”
Talk about a great comeback!
There is so much to love about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a true American, feminist icon!
If you haven’t watched On the Basis of Sex, you definitely should!