Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The Notorious R.B.G: Remember Her Name
Happy Wednesday Golden Divas!
What a befitting day to honor and pay homage to the former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg; her impact on America and American law has been extraordinary. Just like the song ‘Fame’ we will remember her name because she will continue to live on forever through her astounding work in fighting for the rights of women, injustice and discrimination!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until she died on September 18, 2020. Ginsburg was nominated by President Bill Clinton and was generally viewed as a moderate judge who was a consensus builder at the time of her nomination.
Five days ago, the world, especially women, lost a Supreme Court hero, icon, a dissenter, and an all-round wise woman. Ginsburg succumbed to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer, according to the Court. Today When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returns for the Supreme Court’s final time, an army of more than a hundred of her former clerks will meet the casket. They will accompany it up the stone steps leading to the great hall where the liberal icon presided for almost 30 years.
“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.”
Ginsburg was the second woman justice to serve on the highest court in the land to be sworn into the almighty boy’s club on the supreme bench. She was a pioneer in her field when there were few females in the halls of legal offices or law schools.
Here are 5 great things why we should remember her name:
- She proved that mothers get things done and then some: RBG showed that being a mother can prove an advantage and not an impediment to a woman’s professional life.
- She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind: She began teaching at Rutgers and Columbia. Those positions gave RBG the opportunity to advocate for women’s rights.
- She showed there’s value in stoicism: In an interview with legal academic Jeffrey Rosen, published in the Atlantic, she spoke of ignoring ‘useless emotions.’
- She lived by her morals: She was never the loudest in a room, in fact, she was described as a quiet, “almost retreating” woman with a soft voice.
- She had hope for the future: Speaking with Rosen in late 2019, she said, Our country has gone through some very bumpy periods. But, I’ll tell you the principal reason why I’m optimistic: It’s the young people I see.
This Golden Diva didn’t shy away from fighting for the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote and gender equality. She also didn’t shy away from fashion. I mean, think about it who wants to wear a drab black robe all of the time. Ginsburg often accessorized her robe with intricate lace collars and an array of different gloves.
Some of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy will undoubtedly include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where she was the Women’s Rights Project’s co-founder. Ginsburg has been a pioneer for gender equality throughout her distinguished career. Ginsburg was a strong supporter of the E.R.A.
“The amendment would eliminate the historical impediment to unqualified judicial recognition of equal rights and responsibilities for men and women as a constitutional principle, and it would serve as a clear statement of the nation’s moral and legal commitment to a system in which women and men stand as full and equal individuals before the law.”
The Legendary Nickname
Dubbed the Notorious R.B.G., Ginsburg wasn’t sure what it meant– so she asked a clerk.
“I asked my law clerk, what is the Notorious R.B.G.?” she told an audience at Duke Law school in 2015.
Once she learned that the name was a play on that of the late Notorious B.I.G., a rapper, it became a talking point in the legion of speeches and appearances that she would make even when she was ailing from one of her five bouts of cancer. Often carrying a small canvas tote bag that reads “I dissent,” she’d tell the audience that she was a lot like her namesake “because we are both from Brooklyn.” The crowd would roar.
“Women’s rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on equal dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy.”
By the end, the 87-year-old was far hipper than her former clerks. There were “you can’t have the truth without Ruth” and “fear the frill” T-shirts as well as coffee mugs and bobbleheads. One musician set her dissent in a religious liberty case to music. Ginsburg was indeed a rebel with a cause fighting for women’s rights!
“I said on the equality side of it, that it is essential to a woman’s equality with man that she be the decision-maker, that her choice be controlling.”
Other Facts
She has served on the D.C. federal appeals court with Justice Clarence Thomas.
Ginsburg launched the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Women’s Rights Project.
She was named one of Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women from 2004 through 2011.
Nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993.
According to the Court, September 18, 2020 – Ginsburg dies due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer.
“Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.”
Golden Diva’s to read more about Ruth Bader Ginsburg click on the links below:
https://www.aclu.org/other/tribute-legacy-ruth-bader-ginsburg-and-wrp-staff
https://www.oyez.org/justices/ruth_bader_ginsburg
Rest on our Supreme Golden Diva Ruth Bader Ginsburg!
Ladies, please exercise your right to vote on Tuesday, November 3, 2020!