The iconic champion of women’s rights, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg took her last breath on Friday at her home in Washington, DC. She was suffering from metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Ginsburg was appointed as the Associate Justice of Supreme Court in June 1993 by then President Bill Clinton. She was the second woman Justice at the Supreme Court and the longest-serving Jewish justice of the US Supreme Court.
The loss comes a few days before the US polls opening a High Court vacancy. But as per her granddaughter Clara Spera, Ginsburg’s last words were “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed”.
Ginsburg was a history-making jurist, feminist icon, and national treasure and has always been a rebellious woman, Serving as the senior-most member of the court, Ginsburg had delivered progressive votes towards the most sensitive issues including abortion rights, same-sex marriage, voting rights, immigration, health care, and affirmative action.
While she was at Cornell University, she met Martin Ginsburg whom she dated and then get married to. Marty died in 2010 and this iconic woman was there on the Supreme Court bench next day to his death.
“Not a law firm in the entire city of New York would employ me. I struck out on three grounds: I was Jewish, a woman and a mother,” said Ginsburg during an interview. For a long period of time, she practiced teaching.
Ginsburg was demoted during her first job at the social security office while she was pregnant with her first baby as discrimination against pregnant women was still legal in the 1950s. The incident led her to conceal her second pregnancy.
In the year 1972, she founded the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). While being the general counsel at ACLU, Ginsburg brought several cases based on gender discrimination. Among the six cases brought before the Supreme Court, she won the five.
The demise of this amazing feminist and women rights activist had left everyone shocked.
Rest in Peace Ruth Bader Ginsburg!
