Ruth Bader Ginsburg, born on March 15, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, served as a justice on the US Supreme Court until her passing on September 18th, 2020. Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent a lifetime flourishing in the face of adversity before being appointed a Supreme Court justice, where she successfully fought against gender discrimination and unified the liberal block of the court. Ginsburg’s mother emphasized a love of education in her and formulated her success in academia early on. Nevertheless, Ginsburg proved successful and graduated top of her high school class the day after her mother died from cancer. Ginsburg’s success in academia continued throughout her years at Cornell University, where she graduated at the top of her class in 1954. Ginsburg’s personal struggles neither decreased in intensity nor deterred her in any way from reaching and exceeding her academic goals, even when her husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1956, during her first year of law school. Ginsburg took on the challenge of keeping her sick husband up to date with his studies while maintaining her own position at the top of the class. At Harvard, Ginsburg tackled the challenges of motherhood and of a male-dominated school where she was one of nine females in a 500-person class. She faced gender-based discrimination from even the highest authorities there, who chastised her for taking a man’s spot at Harvard Law. She served as the first female member of the Harvard Law Review. Her husband recovered from cancer graduated from Harvard and moved to New York City to accept a position at a law firm there. Ruth Bader Ginsburg had one more year of law school left, so she transferred to Columbia Law School and served on their law review as well. She graduated first in her class at Columbia Law in 1959. Even her exceptional academic record was not enough to shield her from the gender-based discrimination women faced in the workplace in the 1960s. She had difficulties finding a job until a favorite Columbia professor explicitly refused to recommend any other graduates before U.S. District Judge Edmund L. Palmieri hired Ginsburg as a clerk. After this, she worked in a few different legal fields until she pursued more permanently the civil legal field. Ginsburg directed the influential Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union during the 1970s. In this position, she led the fight against gender discrimination and successfully argued six landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ginsburg took a broad look at gender discrimination, fighting not just for the women left behind, but for the men who were discriminated against as well. Ginsburg experienced her share of gender discrimination, even going so far as to hide her pregnancy from her Rutgers colleagues. Ginsburg accepted Jimmy Carter’s appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980. She served on the court for thirteen years until 1993, when Bill Clinton appointed her to the Supreme Court of the United States. Ruth Bader Ginsburg began her career as a justice where she left off as an advocate, fighting for women’s rights.
Now, a inside editorial piece from our founders on RBG:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion for women’s rights, but she was also a champion more so for the little girls that grew up watching her. At a young age, I found myself in awe of her ability to be strong, passionate, and to always defends women in politics and in the legal field. In my heart, RBG is the reason I am now studying law and pursuing a legal degree. She is the role model behind the ideals, principles, and values of WMUN. Emily and I began Women in MUN as a tribute to her; a tribute to women across the United States who are actively fighting for women’s rights, empowering the feminist movement, and recognizing our power. RBG is the epitome of what it means to be female, and all together, we carry her power and her passion with us. My heart is with RGB as she continues to remind me that the work of women is far more powerful than what many think, and that nothing but our own fear will keep us small. RGB died knowing there are women out there who will continue the fight she led on for years. Here at WMUN, that is exactly what we intend to do.
By: Laura Bea, co-founder
For me, RBG is a source of light. A funny, empowering, well rounded woman who shows every human being that you can be smart and kind. That you can have a family and a full time job. She shows me and reminds me that while society will aim to keep me small, that when people attempt to speak over me, that I have to lower to speak louder. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s career shows us how, even when we feel defeated, we can create real change. It’s going to feel strange to look at my laptop and see her face and imagine her in any place but the highest court, but we can get through. Because if she was told that she was taking a spot from a "worthy man", we can deal with grief.
By: Emily Mims, co-founder
Citations/resources/evidence: https://www.oyez.org/justices/ruth_bader_ginsburg#:~:text=Ruth%20Bader%20Ginsburg%20spent%20a,1933%20in%20Brooklyn%2C%20New%20York.
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