Ruth Bader Ginsberg, born on March 15, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY, initially attended Harvard Law school but later transferred to Columbia Law school due to her husband’s job in New York. Throughout her time in law school, she encountered discrimination and sexism from her professors and male classmates. Ginsberg boldly confronted one of her professors who had offered her an answer sheet in exchange for sex, expressing her outrage and leaving his office. Despite facing numerous challenges, she became the first woman to be part of both Columbia and Harvard Reviews. However, after graduating, she continued to face discrimination in her personal life and struggled to find employment due to being Jewish, a woman, and a mother.
Rutgers Law School welcomed Ginsberg as their second female law professor in 1963. She fought for equal pay and won an Equal Pay Act complaint with other female employees. Ginsberg’s interest in women’s legal rights was sparked when she began teaching a seminar on women and the law in 1969. She continued to fight sex-based discrimination and was hired as the first female tenured professor at Columbia in 1972. That same year, she co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at ACLU and won five out of six sex discrimination cases before the Supreme Court. Her dedication to advocating for women’s rights led her to become the second female Jewish Supreme Court Justice in 1980.
Ginsberg’s tenure on the Supreme Court spanned 27 years, during which she made history as the first Justice to preside over a same-sex marriage. Not only did she become a revered figure in the feminist movement, but she also achieved the distinction of being a pop culture icon, inspiring countless young individuals who admired her commitment to justice, resilience, and women’s empowerment. Tragically, Ginsberg’s life came to an end on September 18, 2020, in Washington, D.C., as she succumbed to complications arising from metastatic pancreatic cancer.
One of the most well-known quotes by Ginsberg is about creating an impact in the world.
Fight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
