Honoring the Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

One of the great icons of our time has passed.

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) called Justice Ginsburg's passing "a painful and devastating loss for our country." She was "an American hero, pioneer, and an inspiration to all. Our nation is so much better because of her courage and tireless fight for equality."

The Trailblazer

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) observed in a statement following her death:

“Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was both an inspiration and a trailblazer in every possible sense of the words. After breaking through the countless barriers thrown in her path, she re-defined what it meant to be both a thoughtful jurist and a dedicated public servant."

“From graduating first in her undergraduate class at Cornell University, to being the first female member of the Harvard Law Review, to graduating first in her class at Columbia Law School, Justice Ginsburg’s academic accomplishments were unrivaled. The first female professor at Columbia University to earn tenure, Justice Ginsburg directed the ACLU Women’s Rights Project and argued six landmark cases before the Supreme Court – winning five. These cases protected not only the rights of women, but also many men who faced discrimination as well. After serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia for 13 years, she began her 27 years on the U.S. Supreme Court."

US Supreme Court via AP
Ruth Bader's engagement photograph,
while a senior at Cornell University in December 1953

Harvard’s Law School accepted 500 students in 1956.

Only 9 women were allowed in.

She was a foot shorter than everyone else in the room. But ten feet tall in history’s eyes. #RIPRBG pic.twitter.com/beQeMN3dG0

— Arlen Parsa (@arlenparsa) September 19, 2020 

Equal Rights Legacy

It is truly hard to grasp how much this beloved "titan of the law" achieved and did for each of us. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg opened doors for women in law and for women in general. She brought the perspective of women's rights to the Supreme Court. One of the cases she argued resulted in the court decision that the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause applies to women, something now taken as a given. Another case she argued led to the development of the “intermediate scrutiny” test, which requires proof of a substantial government interest before the government may enact a law that discriminates between men and women. 

As a Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg wrote the opinion striking down the men-only admissions policy of the Virginia Military Academy because it violated the Equal Protection Clause. Her dissent in a case involving workplace pay discrimination led to the enactment of Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Justice Ginsburg also supported marriage equality in 2015.

Ginsburg often worked on behalf of men challenging gender discrimination. A former law clerk from Ginsburg's time as an an appeals court judge explained her successful strategy, "she reasoned that rigid attitudes about sex roles could harm everyone and that the all-male Supreme Court might more easily get the point in cases involving male plaintiffs." 

Environmental Legacy

While Justice Ginsburg's achievements for equality are legendary, it is not as widely known that she was a voice for the environment, public health, and disability rights on the Supreme Court. 

"Our communities are safer, healthier and more free because of RBG," said League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski.

Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune recently highlighted some of Justice Ginsburg's environmental contributions. "Justice Ginsburg championed the rights of citizens to take action in court to prevent environmental harm. She defended the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and authored several of the opinions that gave EPA the power and responsibility to regulate greenhouse gases."

Brune asks Sierra Club supporters to honor Justice Ginsburg's legacy by asking senators not to move any nominee forward until after the next inauguration. Justice Ginsburg told grandaughter Clara Spera days before her passing, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” 

Justice Ginsburg in December 2019 cited her granddaugher Clara, Malala Yusefi, and Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg as the future leaders giving her hope. She said: “The young people that I see are fired up, and they want our country to be what it should be,” she said. “One of the things that makes me an optimist are the young people.” 

As was chalked into a spontaneous memorial to Justice Ginsburg at the Supreme Court, "Today we mourn, tomorrow we fight." The fight is ours to protect her legacy and keep raising our voices for justice, human rights, and the environment we depend on.

Thank you, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for your generous and tireless efforts for equality, justice, and human dignity, and for the countless opportunities that you have given us to better enjoy or seek each of those in our daily lives.