By Madeline Clancy
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the second female Supreme Court justice, and she impacted the lives of many.
Born in 1933, Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn and went to James Madison High School; after high school she continued her education at Cornell University, Harvard University, and Columbia Law. At Cornell, she graduated at the top of her class and married Martin D. Ginsburg, and during her time at Harvard she was one of only eight women in her class along with 552 men.
Ginsburg was nominated to the supreme court by former President Bill Clinton, and she was approved by the senate in 1993. She ruled in many cases in her time on the court. One well known case that she decided on was Roe vs. Wade. Ginsburg, along with 6 of her colleagues, believed that citizens deserve the constitutional right to have an abortion.
In addition, Ginsburg was an ally of the lgbtqia+ community and in the case Obergefell v. Hodges, she made her decision with the mindset that the right to same-sex marriage is constitutionally legal. She was also an advocate for gender equality, even when it was not the popular. An example is Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in which Lucy Ledbetter sued after the 180 days had passed in which raises were given out. Under Title CII of the Civil Rights act of 1964, employers cannot be sued over race or gender pay discrimination if the claims are based on decisions made by the employer 180 days ago or more.
Ginsberg, in a rare moment, read her dissent opinion from the bench. She argued that pay raises are different because discrimination often occurs in small increments over large periods of time. Also, the pay information of one’s fellow workers is typically confidential and , and therefore would not be able to compare such differences. Ginsburg argued that pay discrimination is different from other adverse and actions, such as termination because adverse actions are obvious, but small pay discrepancy is often difficult to recognize until more than 180 days of the pay change.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg lived a long and meaningful life. She passed away due to complications of pancreatic cancer on September 18, 2020. Before she died, she was asked by her niece Jane Spera if she had any final words or wishes. Spera reported that she said, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” As all know, her wish was not granted. On October 26, Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to replace Ginsberg on the Supreme Court.
Many on all sides of the political spectrum and those of the general public mourned her loss. During an appearance with Ginsberg on an ABC interview, Former President Bill Clinton said of her, "I liked her, and I believed in her. I just knew she was the right person for the court. "But I have to say in the last 26 years she has far exceeded even my expectations."
In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Eugene Scalia, son of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia who was not only a colleague, but good friend of Ginsberg, wrote, “He [Scalia] respected what she had achieved in an era when the deck was stacked against her; from her experiences, he gained insight and depth of understanding. He liked learning and could learn from her.
Ginsburg made history posthumously, as she is first woman to lay in a state at the Capitol building.