The Notorious RBG. If you don’t know who I’m talking about, get ready to hear about one of the most inspirational women of our lifetimes, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Ginsburg served as a supreme court justice from 1993 until she passed away in September of 2020. She was the second woman to be appointed to this prestigious position. She was a major advocate for women’s rights, serving on the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. She argued on incredibly important cases, fighting for people who are often discriminated against.
My love of Ginsburg started when I was a senior in high school. During our American Government class, my teacher showed us the film RBG which documents her life and the obstacles she faced on her way to the top.
She also attended college in the 1950s when women’s education was considered less than a priority. Women were expected to be subservient caregivers and any intellectual thoughts they may have had were discarded. Ginsberg attended Cornell University for her undergrad and then Harvard Law School as she pursued her law degree. As a woman at the time, this was unheard of, making the experience magnificently more challenging. Ginsburg was one of nine women in a class of about 500. She was oppressed by the louder voices of men filling the room and had to fight to prove that her knowledge and experience were worthy of their time. She was ignored often but had to be loud to be heard.
During her time at Cornell, Ginsburg also met her husband, Marty. Their love story, while beautiful, is not the point of this story. He acted as her biggest supporter and helped raise her up while others silenced her. Between her time at Cornell and Harvard, Marty and Ruth had their first child, adding another layer to the obstacles working against her.
Ginsburg worked her way through law school while also raising her daughter, and as she graduated she faced further struggles. People did not want to hire her on the sole basis that she was a woman. In the 50s, it was a risk for any law firm to take on a woman because of this lack of respect towards them. So, she fought harder. She needed to make her presence known within the law space. She began teaching as a professor at Columbia, working on her own projects and trials on the side. Her cases were of utmost importance, fighting against discrimination on the basis of sex.
One landmark case was Reed v. Reed in which she argued against estate laws. Men were expected to take over estates on claims that men were simply “better qualified to act” as estate administrators. This unjust law was shot down by Ginsburg as she argued women’s increasing prevalence in the workforce and used the 14th amendment (the Equal Rights Clause) to prove her case.
Though stoic in nature, Ginsburg used her serious demeanor and perseverance to fight her way up the ranks of the court system. Ginsburg was appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980 where she served for 13 years until being appointed to her position on the Supreme Court in 1993. Ginsberg served for over 25 years and her decisions made a lasting impact. She fought on cases that affected ObamaCare, Equal wages for women and equal social security benefits. Her rulings are what uphold her lasting legacy.
And although her list of accomplishments is enough to paint her mark on the world, it is her dedication to justice that leaves a lasting impact. As we celebrate International Women’s day, it is important to remember the women who came before us and allowed us to continue making strides in our lives and the lives of women everywhere. RBG serves as a blueprint for hard work and a role model for all women.
References:
Smith, Kelly Anne. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Key Cases That Paved the Way for Financial Equality.”
Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 23 Sept. 2020, https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/09/23/ruth-bader-ginsburgs-key-cases-that-paved-the-way-for-financial-equality/?sh=4e9a75eb58cc.
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 7 May 2021, https://www.biography.com/law-figure/ruth-bader-ginsburg#arguing-for-gender-equality.
RBG. Directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen, CNN Films, Storyville Films and Better Than Fiction Productions, 2018.