Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
1933 - 2020
Pioneered the legal fight for gender equality and served as a cultural icon for justice, shaping equal protection law through strategic litigation and incisive opinions.
Biography
Ruth Bader Ginsburg served on the Supreme Court from 1993 to 2020, but her most transformative work began in the 1970s when, as director of the ACLU Women's Rights Project, she systematically dismantled legal barriers based on sex. Borrowing from the NAACP's incremental strategy, Ginsburg deliberately brought cases involving male plaintiffs to demonstrate to an all-male Court that sex discrimination harms everyone.
Ginsburg's litigation strategy was brilliant: in cases like Reed v. Reed (1971) and Frontiero v. Richardson (1973), she persuaded the Court to apply heightened scrutiny to sex-based classifications. By the time she was appointed to the Court, the legal framework for gender equality was largely her creation.
As a Justice, Ginsburg became known for her sharp dissents, particularly in cases involving voting rights, employment discrimination, and reproductive freedom. Her dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (2007) directly inspired the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. In her later years, she became a cultural phenomenon—the 'Notorious RBG'—inspiring a generation of lawyers and advocates.
Major Accomplishments
- 1Pioneered the legal strategy that established constitutional protection against sex discrimination
- 2Won five of six landmark gender equality cases before the Supreme Court as an advocate
- 3Authored the majority opinion in United States v. Virginia (1996)
- 4Her Ledbetter dissent led directly to the Fair Pay Act of 2009
- 5Became a cultural icon as the 'Notorious RBG'
Notable Opinions & Cases
United States v. Virginia
1996
Struck down VMI's male-only admissions policy, requiring an 'exceedingly persuasive justification' for sex-based classifications
Ledbetter v. Goodyear (dissent)
2007
Dissent led to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill signed by President Obama
Olmstead v. L.C.
1999
Held that unjustified institutional isolation of persons with disabilities is discrimination under the ADA
Shelby County v. Holder (dissent)
2013
Powerful dissent against gutting the Voting Rights Act, comparing it to 'throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm'
Legacy
Ginsburg changed the constitutional landscape for women and gender equality in America. Her litigation strategy in the 1970s established that sex-based classifications require heightened judicial scrutiny, a principle now so embedded in law that it seems self-evident. On the Court, her dissents became rallying cries for social justice, and her personal story of overcoming gender barriers inspired millions.
Famous Quotes
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.”
“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”