On September 18th, the world seemed a little darker in the view of feminists everywhere. Ruth Bader Ginsburg to many was a social justice advocate who fought for equal opportunity within the Supreme Court, but to me she was a lot more than that. She was a hero, a symbol of growth, and a light in a world that constantly seems so dark. When I think about myself when I was growing up, the idea that I needed a man to do the most basic things like getting a credit card or signing a mortgage had never crossed my mind. It was not until I got to high school that I realized my mother and grandmother had to deal with a world that was not too keen on a woman’s independence. I now live in a society that legally does not discriminate on the basis of sex so I can live an independent life of my choosing and I owe that to Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Justice Ginsburg was most notably known for her seat on the Supreme Court. What most people do not know about her was her work as a lawyer before she was nominated for the highest court in the country. She co-founded the Women’s Right Project at the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) which sought to protect people against gender discrimination under the law. She had many victories for women which included:
- United States v. Virginia said it was unconstitutional to bar women from schools that was funded by taxpayer money.
- Paved the way for the Equal Credit Opportunity Act that allowed women to have a mortgage or bank account without a male co-signer
- Struck v. Secretary of Defense said that it was sex discrimination to fire a woman because she was pregnant in the army which would later move into other workplaces
- Duren v. Missouri: women should serve on juries and further proved that women and men should be seen as equals
These are just a few examples of what she has done in the eyes of the law for women. During her time on the Supreme Court, she became a reliable voice for women and minorities. She voted for same-sex marriage and continued her fight against gender discrimination. The world has her to thank for the movement in the fight for social justice.
To me, her most notable achievement was showing women that you can be a confident, hardworking female leader in man’s world. During a time full of gas lighters, she proved that it was not crazy to think that men and women could be on the same level. I have always personally struggled to find my voice because of my fear of being too outspoken or viewed as less than a person based on my gender. During my parent’s time, there was a shortage of women icons that girls could look up to, but I count myself lucky to have Justice Ginsburg to show that I can pave my own path and that I have individual power within myself. She showed me that power does not come from size (proven since she was only 5 feet tall) but from inner power that every person has no matter your race, gender, or sexuality. She told me through her actions when I was at a very young age that I can change the world and that women belong where the decisions are being made. Now at the age of nineteen, I am a criminal justice student, looking to follow in her footsteps, and hoping to make my own mark on the world. So, thank you, Ruth, you can now rest in power knowing that you have created your own legacy and us young women are ready to take the wheel.