The much loved and highly respected Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg never stopped fighting for justice until it was time for her incredible journey to end on September 18, 2020.
Even after Ginsburg’s husband, famous tax attorney Martin Ginsburg died in 2010 and being diagnosed with cancer, the iconic and champion of gender equality and women’s rights never showed signs of slowing down.
That’s a real champion.
Struggles in finding a clerkship as a lawyer (it was predominately a male oriented career back in the late 1950’s) after graduating law school in 1959, Ginsburg took the academia route and taught at Rutgers Law School from 1963 to 1972 than onto Columbia Law School.
When news broke that Justice Ginsburg had died at the age of 87 from pancreatic cancer on September 18, people from all over the world expressed their sympathy for the powerful personality who had devoted her entire life in fighting for justice and equal rights for people. According to media reports and historians, Ginsburg became the first woman to lie in state in the United States Capitol.
Ginsburg was nominated as Supreme Court Justice by President Bill Clinton in 1993 and she served until she died.
Even during the pandemic while in isolation Ginsburg , as well as the rest of the Supreme Court Justices, participated in oral arguments and private sessions via teleconferencing for private meetings.
But why so much global out pour for the iconic leading liberal? Was it because she was a popular and well-loved Supreme Court Justice? Or because she had the power to make decisions that changed the world. It’s all of the above and much more.
To begin with, Ginsburg made friends from all walks of life. Her deep interest in music, mainly in Opera, connected her with talented musicians and opera enthusiasts. Her love for fashion, which included her trademark stylish custom made collars adorning the traditional black robe, gave her headlines in global fashion magazines. And of course her famous workouts with her personal trainer of 20 years, the former army reservist Bryant Johnson, not only kept Ginsburg in great shape but also showed the world how dedicated to fitness she was. To pay his final respects, Johnson performed several push ups in front of the late Ginsburg’s casket during her memorial service in Washington. In 2017, Johnson wrote a terrific book about his workouts called “The RGB Workout: How She Stays Strong….And You Can Do!” which has become a Amazon best seller.
In 2016, Ginsburg wrote her memoir My Own Words (I highly recommend it!) which became a New York Times Best Seller. Her life and career were also documented in the wonderful 2018 biopic “On The Bases of Sex”, starring Hollywood A-listers Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer. In addition, a hugely popular documentary entitled “RBG” which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018, with Ginsburg in attendance, was an instant hit with audiences.
As the second woman to be nominated to the Supreme Court, the mother of two and Opera loving Ginsburg was already known in the justice circles for her work as an advocate for the American Civil Liberties Union where she fought for the rights of equal protection in gender discrimination cases.
Ginsburg’s longevity in law combined with her approachable personality and immense popularity, gave her an almost Rockstar like status and was affectionately known as “Notorious R.B.G” with the younger generation of fans and celebrities.
Ginsburg heard many powerful cases but the one that many remember is the landmark case of United States vs Virginia, a decision that found the all male admissions policy at the highly regarded and prestigious Virginia Military Institute, funded by the state, was considered unconstitutional for banning woman applicants.
Ginsburg’s best friend on and off the bench, was the late Justice Antonin Scalia, whom she traveled to India with in 1994. Their trip to Rajasthan included the dynamic duo riding on a fully decorated Indian elephant, an image that has now since gone global. The two justices also visited the world famous Taj Mahal in Agra.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg decades of immense hard work, dedication and fight for equal rights and gender discrimination will forever be remembered in her legacy and in law schools around the world for years to come. She will also be remembered for breaking the glass ceiling into a million little pieces along the way.
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