The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It is because of Ruth Bader Ginsburg that we read these words and hold them true for all people. The American system has always been about equality, but it has not always been easy for there to truly be equality in America. Many people have fought for women’s rights and equality, but Ginsburg made drastic strides in that fight. It is because of her that we read the constitution as “men and women,” not just men.
Ginsburg was born on March 15, 1933. She grew up in New York as the daughter of Jewish and Polish immigrants, in a time where women had precedented expectations to be nothing more than what they had always been—homemakers. I say this, not to demean the notion of being a homemaker, but to emphasize that women play a much larger role in this society and that we have Ginsburg to thank for that. It was the loss of her mother that sparked her demand to create a world where women were equal to men.
When people hear the name Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there is the idea that she strictly supported the rights of women. However, she was a true feminist who fought for there to be no distinction between men and women’s work; it is simply, work. She went to school at Harvard Law and was one of nine women in a class of over five hundred students. While in school, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. She ensured that he had all of the information he needed for his classes so that he could graduate on time, all while being a law student herself and raising their baby. After Law School, she studied abroad in Sweden, where women’s movements were a big deal during the time period.
Upon her return to America, she felt that big changes needed to be made. She became a law professor and leader of the ACLU, a women’s rights project, and took on cases that would shake the American system. As previously mentioned, she was an extremely influential activist for women, so many wondered why she took on so many legal cases representing men. She did this not because she wanted to take the “safe way” by appealing to men in court and slyly sneaking in the sex discrimination, but because she wanted to change the notions that were set with both men and women’s roles. She upheld cases where men had claims that were usually made by women, and represented these men to show that everyone, regardless of gender, should be equal from a working standpoint and in terms of taking care of and providing for families.
It took a long time for Ginsburg to become a Federal Judge and was finally elected in the 1980s. Later, she became a Supreme Court Justice and was almost unanimously voted in. Along with everything Ruth did throughout her time, what made her such a prominent figure in today’s society was her dissent with the Voting Rights Act in 2013. Her vicious disagreement with the ruling prompted people to reeducate themselves on Ginsburg. She was named the “Notorious RBG” (in reference to the East Side rapper Biggie Smalls known as the “Notorious B.I.G.”), and countless people dressed as her for Halloween. This is also why many people wore crowns tilted to the side when they dressed as her. In fact, our school’s very own Mr. Vance dressed as her for Halloween last year.
After countless obstacles: the death of her husband, her own battle with cervical and pancreatic cancer, along with many other life events, her fight for equal rights was still strong and unwavering. She is the definition of ferocity in the face of adversity. As a society, we owe much of our freedoms to her and her legacy.
Photo Credit: Ann Marie Partl
R.B.G Poster created by the North Augusta National Art Honor Society
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