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Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Speeches on Gender Equality: A Legacy of Fighting for Justice
Introduction:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a titan of the Supreme Court and a champion of gender equality, left behind a powerful legacy etched not only in landmark legal decisions but also in her numerous speeches. This comprehensive exploration delves into the core themes and enduring impact of RBG's rhetoric on gender equality. We'll examine key speeches, analyze her persuasive strategies, and understand how her words continue to inspire the ongoing fight for gender justice. This post offers a detailed analysis of her most impactful speeches, providing context, insightful commentary, and exploring the lasting relevance of her message in today's world. Prepare to be inspired by the unwavering voice of a true legal legend.
1. The Power of Persuasion: RBG's Rhetorical Strategies
RBG’s speeches weren’t mere legal pronouncements; they were carefully crafted arguments designed to persuade a broad audience. She masterfully employed several rhetorical strategies:
Appeal to Logic (Logos): RBG frequently used statistics, legal precedent, and historical context to bolster her arguments. She meticulously presented evidence dismantling discriminatory practices and highlighting the inherent injustice of gender inequality. This approach grounded her emotional appeals in concrete reality, making her case irrefutable.
Appeal to Emotion (Pathos): While grounded in logic, RBG's speeches weren't devoid of emotion. She often shared personal anecdotes, highlighting the everyday struggles faced by women and the devastating consequences of gender bias. This human touch made her arguments resonate deeply with audiences, fostering empathy and understanding.
Appeal to Ethics (Ethos): RBG's impeccable reputation as a brilliant jurist and unwavering advocate for justice lent significant credibility to her words. Her unwavering commitment to the law, combined with her clear articulation of principles, fostered trust and respect among her listeners. Her very presence commanded attention and lent weight to her arguments.
Strategic Use of Language: Her choice of words was deliberate and powerful. She avoided inflammatory language, opting instead for clear, concise, and persuasive phrasing that resonated with a diverse audience. She meticulously crafted her sentences to be both accessible and impactful.
2. Key Speeches and Their Enduring Impact:
Several speeches stand out as pivotal moments in RBG's advocacy for gender equality:
"On Women and the Constitution" (Various iterations): Throughout her career, RBG delivered variations of this speech, consistently emphasizing how the Constitution, despite its apparent neutrality, had been historically interpreted to disadvantage women. She meticulously deconstructed legal arguments used to justify gender discrimination, exposing their flaws and urging for a more equitable interpretation of the law.
Speeches at Law Schools and Universities: RBG frequently addressed law students and academics, inspiring future generations of legal professionals to fight for gender justice. These speeches emphasized the importance of critical thinking, meticulous legal analysis, and unwavering dedication to social justice. She used these platforms to mentor and encourage women to pursue careers in law.
Public Lectures and Interviews: RBG’s public appearances, including interviews and lectures, weren’t just opportunities to reiterate her legal positions; they were chances to connect with the public on a personal level. She shared personal stories, offering glimpses into her journey and inspiring listeners with her resilience and unwavering dedication. This accessibility made her a powerful role model.
3. The Lasting Relevance of RBG's Message:
Despite significant progress, gender inequality persists in various forms – in the workplace, in politics, and in societal structures. RBG's speeches continue to hold immense relevance today because they:
Highlight Systemic Issues: Her words illuminate the deep-rooted systemic biases that perpetuate gender inequality, urging for a fundamental shift in perspectives and practices.
Inspire Action: Her unwavering dedication serves as a powerful call to action, inspiring individuals and organizations to continue fighting for gender justice.
Provide a Framework for Legal Argumentation: Her meticulous legal analyses remain valuable tools for advocates fighting for equality in courts and other legal arenas.
4. Beyond the Bench: RBG's Influence on Social Movements
RBG’s speeches didn't just influence legal discourse; they fueled broader social movements advocating for gender equality. Her words provided intellectual ammunition and moral inspiration to activists pushing for policy changes, challenging discriminatory practices, and promoting women's rights. Her advocacy extended beyond the courtroom, shaping public opinion and catalyzing social change.
5. The Ongoing Struggle for Gender Equality: Lessons from RBG
RBG's legacy is not merely a historical account; it's a roadmap for future generations. Her speeches teach us the importance of:
Persistent Advocacy: Her life's work demonstrated the need for sustained and unwavering advocacy to achieve meaningful change.
Strategic Engagement: She underscored the power of combining legal strategies with broader social movements.
Intersectional Feminism: Though primarily focused on gender equality, RBG implicitly acknowledged the intersections of gender with race, class, and other forms of marginalization, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to social justice.
Article Outline: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Speeches on Gender Equality
I. Introduction: Hook, overview of the article's scope and purpose.
II. The Power of Persuasion: RBG's Rhetorical Strategies: Analysis of her use of logos, pathos, ethos, and language.
III. Key Speeches and Their Enduring Impact: Detailed examination of select speeches and their impact.
IV. The Lasting Relevance of RBG's Message: Discussion of the continued relevance of her message in contemporary society.
V. Beyond the Bench: RBG's Influence on Social Movements: Her impact on activism and social change.
VI. The Ongoing Struggle for Gender Equality: Lessons from RBG: Key takeaways and future implications.
VII. Conclusion: Summary of key findings and a reflection on RBG's enduring legacy.
(The content above fulfills points I-VI of the outline. A conclusion section would summarize the key arguments and emphasize the enduring relevance of RBG's legacy.)
FAQs:
1. What was Ruth Bader Ginsburg's most famous speech on gender equality? While she didn't have one singular "most famous" speech, her various iterations of "On Women and the Constitution" are widely considered among her most impactful.
2. How did RBG use personal anecdotes in her speeches? She strategically used personal anecdotes to connect with audiences on an emotional level, humanizing the impact of gender discrimination and making her arguments more relatable.
3. What rhetorical devices did RBG frequently employ? She masterfully used logos (logic), pathos (emotion), and ethos (credibility) to persuade her audience.
4. What is the lasting impact of RBG's speeches on legal scholarship? Her work continues to be studied and cited by legal scholars, shaping legal arguments and interpretations surrounding gender equality.
5. How did RBG's speeches influence social movements? Her speeches provided intellectual ammunition and moral inspiration to activists, strengthening their arguments and inspiring action.
6. What are some examples of systemic gender inequality highlighted by RBG? She highlighted disparities in the workplace, legal systems, and societal norms that disadvantaged women.
7. How did RBG's speeches address intersectionality? While not explicitly framing her arguments around intersectionality, her work implicitly acknowledged the interconnectedness of gender with other forms of oppression.
8. What are some of the key lessons from RBG's life and work? Persistence, strategic advocacy, and the importance of combining legal and social strategies are key lessons.
9. Where can I find transcripts or recordings of RBG's speeches? Many of her speeches are available online through various archives and libraries.
Related Articles:
1. RBG's Dissenting Opinions and Their Impact: An analysis of her dissenting opinions and their lasting influence on legal thought.
2. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Early Career and its Impact on Gender Equality: A look at her early career and how it shaped her future advocacy.
3. The Legal Strategies of Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A deep dive into her strategic legal approach to challenging gender discrimination.
4. RBG's Legacy on the Supreme Court: An examination of her impact on Supreme Court jurisprudence.
5. Comparing RBG's Judicial Philosophy with Other Supreme Court Justices: A comparative analysis of her views with other notable justices.
6. The Role of Women in Shaping Constitutional Law: A broader discussion on the role women have played in influencing constitutional interpretations.
7. The Evolution of Gender Equality in the United States: A historical overview of the fight for gender equality in the US.
8. Modern Challenges to Gender Equality in the Workplace: An examination of contemporary issues facing women in the workforce.
9. The Impact of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Feminist Legal Theory: How her work influenced feminist legal scholarship and theory.
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Civil Procedure in Sweden R.B. Ginsburgs, Anders Bruzelius, 1965-07 First of a series to be prepared by the Project on International Procedure of the Columbia University School of Law. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: My Own Words Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Hartnett, Wendy W. Williams, Wendy Williams (Writer on law), 2016-10-04 The first book from Ruth Bader Ginsburg since becoming a Supreme Court Justice in 1993--a ... collection of writings and speeches from the woman who has had [an] ... influence on law, women's rights, and popular culture-- |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: I Know This to Be True: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Geoff Blackwell, Ruth Hobday, 2020-03-24 The I Know This to Be True series is a collection of extraordinary figures from diverse backgrounds answering the same questions, as well as sharing their compelling stories, guiding ideals, and insightful wisdom. The inimitable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former associate justice of the US Supreme Court, embodied the power of persistence and integrity. Throughout her legal career, spanning nearly five decades, she was an unwavering force for progress and a leading voice for equality and justice. Here, she reflects on her many years of service to the law, as well as her family life and struggle with cancer. With disarming honesty, Ginsburg discusses everything from gender equality and fitness to literature and the importance of hard work. Strong, hopeful and wise, this empowering book for women and teen girls stands as a guide for budding feminists and those who fight for justice around the world. Inspired by Nelson Mandela's legacy and created in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, I Know This to Be True is a global series of empowering books created to spark a new generation of leaders. This series offers encouragement and guidance to graduates, future leaders, and anyone hoping to make a positive impact on the world. • Other luminaries interviewed in the I Know This to Be True series include: Nelson Mandela, Brian Stevenson, Gloria Steinem, Greta Thunberg, Stephen Curry, Rene Redzepi, and Simone Biles. • Royalties from sales of the series support the free distribution of material from the series to the world's developing economy countries. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Scott Dodson, 2015-01-26 As a lawyer, professor, appellate judge, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Ginsburg has influenced the law and society in real and permanent ways. This collection of essays chronicles and evaluates the remarkable achievements she has made over the past half century. Readers will discover diverse perspectives on an array of doctrinal areas and on different time periods in Ginsburg's career, creating an impressive legacy of one of the most important figures in modern law. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Jane Sherron de Hart, 2018-10-16 NATIONAL BESTSELLER “A vivid account of a remarkable life.” —The Washington Post In this comprehensive, revelatory biography—fifteen years of interviews and research in the making—historian Jane Sherron De Hart explores the central experiences that crucially shaped Ginsburg’s passion for justice, her advocacy for gender equality, and her meticulous jurisprudence. At the heart of her story and abiding beliefs is her Jewish background, specifically the concept of tikkun olam, the Hebrew injunction to “repair the world,” with its profound meaning for a young girl who grew up during the Holocaust and World War II. Ruth’s journey begins with her mother, who died tragically young but whose intellect inspired her daughter’s feminism. It stretches from Ruth’s days as a baton twirler at Brooklyn’s James Madison High School to Cornell University to Harvard and Columbia Law Schools; to becoming one of the first female law professors in the country and having to fight for equal pay and hide her second pregnancy to avoid losing her job; to becoming the director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project and arguing momentous anti-sex discrimination cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. All this, even before being nominated in 1993 to become the second woman on the Court, where her crucial decisions and dissents are still making history. Intimately, personably told, this biography offers unprecedented insight into a pioneering life and legal career whose profound mark on American jurisprudence, American society, and our American character and spirit will reverberate deep into the twenty-first century and beyond. REVISED AND UPDATED WITH A NEW AFTERWORD |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Conversations with RBG Jeffrey Rosen, 2019-11-05 In her own words, Ruth Bader Ginsburg offers an intimate look at her life and career, through an extraordinary series of conversations with the head of the National Constitution Center. This remarkable book presents a unique portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, drawing on more than twenty years of conversations with Jeffrey Rosen, starting in the 1990s and continuing through the Trump era. Rosen, a veteran legal journalist, scholar, and president of the National Constitution Center, shares with us the justice’s observations on a variety of topics, and her intellect, compassion, sense of humor, and humanity shine through. The affection they have for each other as friends is apparent in their banter and in their shared love for the Constitution—and for opera. In Conversations with RBG, Justice Ginsburg discusses the future of Roe v. Wade, her favorite dissents, the cases she would most like to see overruled, the #MeToo movement, how to be a good listener, how to lead a productive and compassionate life, and of course the future of the Supreme Court itself. These frank exchanges illuminate the steely determination, self-mastery, and wit that have inspired Americans of all ages to embrace the woman known to all as “Notorious RBG.” Whatever the topic, Justice Ginsburg always has something interesting—and often surprising—to say. And while few of us will ever have the opportunity to chat with her face-to-face, Jeffrey Rosen brings us by her side as never before. Conversations with RBG is a deeply felt portrait of an American hero. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Sex Bias in the U.S. Code United States Commission on Civil Rights, 1977 This report identifies and analyzes sex-based references in the United States Code, which forms the basis of Federal laws which allow implicit or explicit sex-based discrimination. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has issued this report to inform the public and to provide resource materials for private citizens, the President, and members of Congress who want to identify and eliminate sex-discriminatory provisions in the Code. The report is divided into two major parts: (1) Selected Areas of Sex Bias; and (2) Title-By-Title Review. An Introduction, and a section of Findings and Recommendations are also included. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Notorious RBG Irin Carmon, Shana Knizhnik, 2015-10-27 New York Times Bestseller Featured in the critically acclaimed documentary RBG It was beyond my wildest imagination that I would one day become the 'Notorious RBG. — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 2019 She was a fierce dissenter with a serious collar game. A legendary, self-described “flaming feminist litigator” who made the world more equal. And an intergenerational icon affectionately known as the Notorious RBG. As the nation mourns the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, discover the story of a remarkable woman and learn how to carry on her legacy. This runaway bestseller, brought to you by the attorney founder of the Notorious RBG Tumblr and an award-winning feminist journalist, is more than just a love letter. It draws on intimate access to Ginsburg's family members, close friends, colleagues, and clerks, as well as an interview with the Justice herself. An original hybrid of reported narrative, annotated dissents, rare archival photos and documents, and illustrations, the book tells a never-before-told story of an unusual and transformative woman who transcended divides and changed the world forever. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ellen Creager, 2018-12-15 Ruth Bader Ginsburg has become a hero to many from her place on the U.S Supreme Court. Her outspoken nature, work ethic, and unique style have earned her the nickname Notorious RBG. Her life story is filled with many motivational moments, which are presented through engaging main text, full-color photographs, and informative sidebars. Readers are also introduced to some of her most famous words of wisdom in eye-catching quote boxes. The life of a member of the Supreme Court is far from boring, which readers discover as they learn about this opera-loving, gym-going, groundbreaking justice. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Discourse on Woman Lucretia Mott, 1850 This lecture by Mott, delivered 17 December 1849, was in response to one by an unidentified lecturer criticizing the demand for equal rights for women. She makes a very gentle appeal, here, for women's enfranchisement, placing emphasis, instead on the injustices done to women in marriage. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: International Civil Procedure World Law Group Member Firms, World Law Group, 2003-01-01 A desk reference for lawyers and their clients faced with the prospect of litigation in foreign jurisdictions, this book is a guide to the civil procedure rules and practices in thirty-two major countries and in the European Community. Local rules relating to arbitration and, where available, mediation are also covered. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Sisters in Law Linda Hirshman, 2015-09-01 The New York Times–bestselling “gossipy, funny, sometimes infuriating, and moving tale of two women so similar and yet so different” (NPR). The relationship between Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg—Republican and Democrat, Christian and Jew, western rancher’s daughter and Brooklyn girl—transcends party, religion, region, and culture. Strengthened by each other’s presence, these groundbreaking judges, the first and second to serve on the highest court in the land, have transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women. Linda Hirshman’s dual biography includes revealing stories of how these trailblazers fought for their own recognition in a male-dominated profession. She also makes clear how these two Supreme Court justices have shaped the legal framework of modern feminism, including employment discrimination, abortion, affirmative action, sexual harassment, and many other issues crucial to women’s lives. Sisters in Law combines legal detail with warm personal anecdotes that bring these women into focus as never before. Meticulously researched and compellingly told, it is an authoritative account of our changing law and culture, and a moving story of a remarkable friendship. “A thorough, accurate, and most readable account of the careers of the two first women to serve as Justices of the Supreme Court.” —Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens “Smart, startling, and profoundly moving.” —Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Cleopatra “Superb.” —Library Journal, starred review “Irresistible.” —New York Times Book Review “Vital...Part of what makes Hirshman such a likable writer—in addition to her wit and ability to explain the law succinctly without dumbing it down—is her optimism.” —Washington Post |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court David G. Dalin, 2017-04-04 The first history of the eight Jewish men and women who have served or who currently serve as justices of the Supreme Court |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Decisions and Dissents of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Corey Brettschneider, 2020-09-08 National Indie Bestseller The trailblazing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her own words. Her most essential writings on gender equality and women's rights, reproductive health care, and voting and civil rights, now available in a short, accessible volume as part of the new Penguin Liberty series. A Penguin Classic With the Penguin Liberty series by Penguin Classics, we look to the U.S. Constitution’s text and values, as well as to American history and some of the country’s most important thinkers, to discover the best explanations of our constitutional ideals of liberty. Through these curated anthologies of historical, political, and legal classic texts, Penguin Liberty offers everyday citizens the chance to hear the strongest defenses of these ideals, engage in constitutional interpretation, and gain new (or renewed) appreciation for the values that have long inspired the nation. Questions of liberty affect both our daily lives and our country’s values, from what we can say to whom we can marry, how society views us to how we determine our leaders. It is Americans’ great privilege that we live under a Constitution that both protects our liberty and allows us to debate what that liberty should mean. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissents Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 2022-07-19 A collection of key dissenting and majority opinions from U.S. Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. During her 27 years as an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg became well known for her strongly worded dissenting opinions against the decisions of the conservative majority. Ginsburg was a fierce supporter of women’s rights whose personal experiences helped shape her into a feminist icon who employed logical, well-presented arguments to show that gender discrimination was harmful to all members of society. Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissents features 15 legal opinions and briefs, including majority and dissenting opinions that Ginsburg drafted during her time on the U.S. Supreme Court and briefs from her career before she was appointed to the court in 1993. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: First Evan Thomas, 2019-03-19 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The intimate, inspiring, and authoritative biography of Sandra Day O’Connor, America’s first female Supreme Court justice, drawing on exclusive interviews and first-time access to Justice O’Connor’s archives—as seen on PBS’s American Experience “She’s a hero for our time, and this is the biography for our time.”—Walter Isaacson Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by NPR and The Washington Post She was born in 1930 in El Paso and grew up on a cattle ranch in Arizona. At a time when women were expected to be homemakers, she set her sights on Stanford University. When she graduated near the top of her law school class in 1952, no firm would even interview her. But Sandra Day O’Connor’s story is that of a woman who repeatedly shattered glass ceilings—doing so with a blend of grace, wisdom, humor, understatement, and cowgirl toughness. She became the first ever female majority leader of a state senate. As a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals, she stood up to corrupt lawyers and humanized the law. When she arrived at the United States Supreme Court, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, she began a quarter-century tenure on the Court, hearing cases that ultimately shaped American law. Diagnosed with cancer at fifty-eight, and caring for a husband with Alzheimer’s, O’Connor endured every difficulty with grit and poise. Women and men who want to be leaders and be first in their own lives—who want to learn when to walk away and when to stand their ground—will be inspired by O’Connor’s example. This is a remarkably vivid and personal portrait of a woman who loved her family, who believed in serving her country, and who, when she became the most powerful woman in America, built a bridge forward for all women. Praise for First “Cinematic . . . poignant . . . illuminating and eminently readable . . . First gives us a real sense of Sandra Day O’Connor the human being. . . . Thomas gives O’Connor the credit she deserves.”—The Washington Post “[A] fascinating and revelatory biography . . . a richly detailed picture of [O’Connor’s] personal and professional life . . . Evan Thomas’s book is not just a biography of a remarkable woman, but an elegy for a worldview that, in law as well as politics, has disappeared from the nation’s main stages.”—The New York Times Book Review |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Dissenter on the Bench Victoria Ortiz, 2019 A 2020 Sydney Taylor Honor Book The life and career of the fiercely principled Supreme Court Justice, now a popular icon, with dramatic accounts of her landmark cases that moved the needle on legal protection of human rights, illustrated with b/w archival photographs. Dramatically narrated case histories from Justice Ginsburg's stellar career are interwoven with an account of RBG's life--childhood, family, beliefs, education, marriage, legal and judicial career, children, and achievements--and her many-faceted personality is captured. The cases described, many involving young people, demonstrate her passionate concern for gender equality, fairness, and our constitutional rights. Notes, bibliography, index. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Great Women's Speeches Anna Russell, 2021-03-16 Over 50 empowering speeches celebrating women in their own words through extracts and commissioned illustrations, spanning throughout history up to the modern day. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: You Can't Spell Truth Without Ruth Mary Zaia, 2018-04-03 Speaking the Ruth to America Ruth Bader Ginsburg became a Supreme Court Justice in 1993, but her popularity has exploded over the last couple of years as she has been adopted as a modern feminist icon. An octogenarian who has proven that disagreeing does not make one disagreeable, Ginsburg is well-known for her pithy observations as well as her strongly argued dissents. Beloved by many – including her ideological opposition, former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who was her dear friend – Ginsburg’s wisdom has never been more relevant or more important to American democracy. Sample quotes: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made...it shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” “Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” “People ask me sometimes...When will there be enough women on the Court? And I say, ‘When there are nine.’ People are shocked. But there’d been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.” “My mother told me two things constantly. One was to be a lady and the other was to be independent. For most girls growing up in the ‘40s, the most important degree was not your B.A. but your M.R.S.” “We have the oldest written constitution still in force in the world, and it starts out with three words, ‘We, the people.’” |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The Bill of Rights Linda R. Monk, 2018-04-10 With a foreword by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court. An Engaging, Accessible Guide to the Bill of Rights for Everyday Citizens. In The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide, award-winning author and constitutional scholar Linda R. Monk explores the remarkable history of the Bill of Rights amendment by amendment, the Supreme Court's interpretation of each right, and the power of citizens to enforce those rights. Stories of the ordinary people who made the Bill of Rights come alive are featured throughout. These include Fannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi sharecropper who became a national civil rights leader; Clarence Earl Gideon, a prisoner whose handwritten petition to the Supreme Court expanded the right to counsel; Mary Beth Tinker, a 13-year-old whose protest of the Vietnam War established free speech rights for students; Michael Hardwick, a bartender who fought for privacy after police entered his bedroom unlawfully; Suzette Kelo, a nurse who opposed the city's takeover of her working-class neighborhood; and Simon Tam, a millennial whose 10-year trademark battle for his band The Slants ended in a unanimous Supreme Court victory. Such people prove that, in the words of Judge Learned Hand, Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court, can save it. Exploring the history, scope, and meaning of the first ten amendments-as well as the Fourteenth Amendment, which nationalized them and extended new rights of equality to all-The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide is a powerful examination of the values that define American life and the tools that every citizen needs. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: On Norms and Agency Ana María Muñoz Boudet, Patti Petesch, Carolyn Turk, 2013-04-25 Based on focus groups and interviews with nearly 4,000 women, men, girls, and boys from 20 countries, this book explores areas that are less often studied in gender and development: gender norms and agency. It reveals how little gender norms have changed, how similar they are across countries, and how they are being challenged and contested. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Helena Hunt, 2018-04-10 “Like so many cultural icons, Ginsberg has doled out some seriously memorable quotes, thoughts, and observations . . . a quick dip of inspiration.” —Bustle As one of only nine women in a class of 500 at Harvard Law School when she enrolled in 1956 and one of only four female Supreme Court justices in the history of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was frequently viewed as a feminist trailblazer and an icon for civil rights. Ginsburg had always been known as a prolific writer and speaker. Now, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world’s most influential women by collecting 300 of Ginsburg’s most insightful quotes. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, court opinions, dissents, and other sources, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words creates a comprehensive picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her wisdom, and her legacy. “The standard of courage and intellect and kindness and heart.” —Gloria Steinem |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Pocket RBG Wisdom Hardie Grant Books, 2019-03-12 Pocket Ruth Bader Ginsburg Wisdom is an inspired collection of some of the most empowering and impactful quotes from the powerhouse associate justice of the US Supreme Court. After a quarter century serving on the highest court in America and fighting tirelessly for gender equality and civil rights, RBG has become one of the most influential legal figures in the history of the country. From her landmark cases working with the ACLU to her brilliantly meme-worthy moments of dissent, RBG is a true American trailblazer. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Paving the Way Herma Hill Kay, 2021-04-13 The first wave of trailblazing female law professors and the stage they set for American democracy. When it comes to breaking down barriers for women in the workplace, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s name speaks volumes for itself—but, as she clarifies in the foreword to this long-awaited book, there are too many trailblazing names we do not know. Herma Hill Kay, former Dean of UC Berkeley School of Law and Ginsburg’s closest professional colleague, wrote Paving the Way to tell the stories of the first fourteen female law professors at ABA- and AALS-accredited law schools in the United States. Kay, who became the fifteenth such professor, labored over the stories of these women in order to provide an essential history of their path for the more than 2,000 women working as law professors today and all of their feminist colleagues. Because Herma Hill Kay, who died in 2017, was able to obtain so much first-hand information about the fourteen women who preceded her, Paving the Way is filled with details, quiet and loud, of each of their lives and careers from their own perspectives. Kay wraps each story in rich historical context, lest we forget the extraordinarily difficult times in which these women lived. Paving the Way is not just a collection of individual stories of remarkable women but also a well-crafted interweaving of law and society during a historical period when women’s voices were often not heard and sometimes actively muted. The final chapter connects these first fourteen women to the “second wave” of women law professors who achieved tenure-track appointments in the 1960s and 1970s, carrying on the torch and analogous challenges. This is a decidedly feminist project, one that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg advocated for tirelessly and admired publicly in the years before her death. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: In Praise of Difficult Women Karen Karbo, 2018-04-19 From Amelia Earhart to Carrie Fisher, this witty narrative explores what we can learn from the imperfect and extraordinary legacies of 29 iconic women who forged their own unique paths. Smart, sassy, and unapologetically feminine, this elegantly illustrated book is an ode to the bold and charismatic women of modern history. Best-selling author Karen Karbo (The Gospel According to Coco Chanel) spotlights the spirited rule breakers who charted their way with little regard for expectations: Frida Kahlo, Nora Ephron, Hillary Clinton, Amy Poehler, Shonda Rhimes, Elizabeth Taylor, and Helen Gurley Brown, among others. Their lives--imperfect, elegant, messy, glorious--provide inspiration and instruction for the new age of feminism we have entered. Karbo distills these lessons with wit and humor, examining the universal themes that connect us to each of these mesmerizing personalities today: success and style, love and authenticity, daring and courage. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Not One of the Boys Brenda Feigen, 2020-07-15 WITH A NEW CHAPTER WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THE RELEASE OF THE EBOOK From women’s rights, voting and abortion to same-sex marriage, the climate crisis, commercial surrogacy, Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ rights to the gender self-identity movement. From an outspoken feminist, a leader of the Women's Movement in the 1960s and '70s—a candid, wide-ranging and deeply personal memoir that is, as well, an illuminating historical document of a time and a fight for profound societal change. Brenda Feigen has lived many lifetimes within one—lawyer, wife and mother, civil rights activist, politician, Hollywood movie producer—and in each she has faced down the specter of discrimination against women. She describes how at Harvard Law School she fought to change blatantly sexist practices such as Ladies' Days and quotas on women set by law-firm interviewers; how she waged battles for women as National Vice President of NOW; how, with Gloria Steinem, she founded Ms. and cofounded the National Women's Political Caucus in the early 1970s; how she became director with Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the ACLU's Women's Rights Project in 1972, as well as its spinoff, the Reproductive Freedom Rights Project; and how, in Hollywood, she met obstacles at every turn while fighting for movies with strong, positive roles for women. She describes, as well, the struggles and triumphs of her private life: her marriage (she and her husband were once considered the perfect feminist couple); being a (feminist) mother; her relationships with women; her breast cancer. She chronicles recent advances and losses in the Women's Movement, making clear how far women have come (5.2 million people marched for their rights in 2017), and how far they have yet to go to overcome, for example, the Supreme Court’s now open hostility to abortion rights. And, in a moving and stunning new chapter, Feigen writes of the fight for same-sex marriage that started with DOMA and ended in 2015 with the Supreme Court case that fully granted marriage rights to same-sex couples. She writes further, and in-depth, of her work and friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Ginsburg’s prescient concerns about Roe v. Wade, as well as her recent contributions to the Court, including her many dissents of the past two decades, among them the voting rights case, the partial birth abortion case and the Hobby Lobby case that removed contraceptive rights for many working women. And finally, Feigen writes of her concerns that the gender self-identity movement has overwhelmed priorities of civil rights groups that recently won the fight for same-sex marriage and shows how that movement conflicts with the progress feminists must continue to make for women’s rights, particularly in sports. Despite a disturbing wave of right-wing attacks on reproductive rights from state legislatures and the U.S. Supreme Court, she signs off, optimistic about the resurgence of feminist consciousness displayed in on-going world-wide protests and marches. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: In Defense of Justice Sarah Wainwright, 2019-09-24 This book features Ginsburg's best-known dissents in a format that is accessible to the non-lawyer. Ginsburg is renowned for her feisty and fearless dissents. The reader will see Justice Ginsburg at the zenith of her passion, as she tries to persuade the court and future generations of the error being made. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Equal: Women Reshape American Law Fred Strebeigh, 2009-02-13 The dramatic, untold story of how women battled blatant inequities in America's legal system. As late as 1967, men outnumbered women twenty to one in American law schools. With the loss of deferments from Vietnam, reluctant law schools began admitting women to avoid plummeting enrollments. As women entered, the law resisted. Judges would not hire women. Law firms asserted a right to discriminate against women. Judges permitted discrimination by employers against pregnant women. Courts viewed sexual harassment as, one judge said, a game played by the male superiors. Violence against women seemed to exist beyond the law’s comprehension. In this landmark book, Fred Strebeigh shows how American law advanced, far and fast. He brings together legal evidence and personal histories to portray the work of concerned women and men to advance legal rights in America. Equal combines interviews with litigators, plaintiffs, and judges, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Catharine MacKinnon, along with research from private archives of attorneys who took cases to the Supreme Court, to narrate battles waged against high odds and pinnacles of legal power. Equal, in the words of Professor Suzanne A. Kim of Rutgers Law School, is a book for anyone interested in how each individual can improve our society through compassion, drive, and creativity. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Periods Gone Public Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, 2017-10-10 The first book to explore menstruation in the current cultural and political landscape and to investigate the new wave of period activism taking the world by storm. After centuries of being shrouded in taboo and superstition, periods have gone mainstream. Seemingly overnight, a new, high-profile movement has emerged—one dedicated to bold activism, creative product innovation, and smart policy advocacy—to address the centrality of menstruation in relation to core issues of gender equality and equity. In Periods Gone Public, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf—the woman Bustle dubbed one of the nation's “badass menstrual activists”— explores why periods have become a prominent political cause. From eliminating the tampon tax, to enacting new laws ensuring access to affordable, safe products, menstruation is no longer something to whisper about. Weiss-Wolf shares her firsthand account in the fight for “period equity” and introduces readers to the leaders, pioneers, and everyday people who are making change happen. From societal attitudes of periods throughout history—in the United States and around the world—to grassroots activism and product innovation, Weiss-Wolf challenges readers to face stigma head-on and elevate an agenda that recognizes both the power—and the absolute normalcy—of menstruation. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The Art of Woo G. Richard Shell, Mario Moussa, 2007 Explains that the selling of ideas is a matter of encouraging others to share one's beliefs in a guide for salespeople that invites readers to self-assess their persuasion personality and build on natural strengths. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The Rights of Women Erika Bachiochi, 2021-07-15 Erika Bachiochi offers an original look at the development of feminism in the United States, advancing a vision of rights that rests upon our responsibilities to others. In The Rights of Women, Erika Bachiochi explores the development of feminist thought in the United States. Inspired by the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft, Bachiochi presents the intellectual history of a lost vision of women’s rights, seamlessly weaving philosophical insight, biographical portraits, and constitutional law to showcase the once predominant view that our rights properly rest upon our concrete responsibilities to God, self, family, and community. Bachiochi proposes a philosophical and legal framework for rights that builds on the communitarian tradition of feminist thought as seen in the work of Elizabeth Fox-Genovese and Jean Bethke Elshtain. Drawing on the insight of prominent figures such as Sarah Grimké, Frances Willard, Florence Kelley, Betty Friedan, Pauli Murray, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Mary Ann Glendon, this book is unique in its treatment of the moral roots of women’s rights in America and its critique of the movement’s current trajectory. The Rights of Women provides a synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern political insight that locates the family’s vital work at the very center of personal and political self-government. Bachiochi demonstrates that when rights are properly understood as a civil and political apparatus born of the natural duties we owe to one another, they make more visible our personal responsibilities and more viable our common life together. This smart and sophisticated application of Wollstonecraft’s thought will serve as a guide for how we might better value the culturally essential work of the home and thereby promote authentic personal and political freedom. The Rights of Women will interest students and scholars of political theory, gender and women’s studies, constitutional law, and all readers interested in women’s rights. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The Rhetoric of Supreme Court Women Nichola D. Gutgold, 2012 From 1981 to 2010, the advancements of women in the United States can be seen in the words of the four pioneering women on the Supreme Court. The Rhetoric of Supreme Court Women: From Obstacles to Options, by Nichola D. Gutgold, explores how Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg used effective rhetoric and worked to overcome gender obstacles, while cultural changes in America provided Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan with a wider range of rhetorical options.Gutgold's exploration of these four Supreme Court women provides valuable insight into the use of political communication and the changing gender zeitgeist in American politics. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Ruth Bader Ginsburg The New York Times Editorial Staff, 2019-07-15 Throughout her law school education, her time as a professor, and her career as a Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has overcome difficult circumstances with steadfast determination. In her uphill battle to be viewed as a woman capable of more than just the scope of devoted wife and mother, she used her legal prowess to dismantle many of the outdated laws barring women from being treated as equals in the United States. This collection outlines how Ginsburg's actions have affected generations of Americans, and how she continues to have a staggering impact on society, law, and even pop culture. A glossary and terms and questions geared towards media literacy will enhance readers' understanding of the text. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: What's Your Pronoun?: Beyond He and She Dennis Baron, 2020-01-21 “If you want to know why more people are asking ‘what’s your pronoun?’ then you (singular or plural) should read this book.” —Joe Moran, New York Times Book Review Heralded as “required reading” (Geoff Nunberg) and “the book” (Anne Fadiman) for anyone interested in the conversation swirling around gender-neutral and nonbinary pronouns, What’s Your Pronoun? is a classic in the making. Providing much-needed historical context and analysis to the debate around what we call ourselves, Dennis Baron brings new insight to a centuries-old topic and illuminates how—and why—these pronouns are sparking confusion and prompting new policies in schools, workplaces, and even statehouses. Enlightening and affirming, What’s Your Pronoun? introduces a new way of thinking about language, gender, and how they intersect. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Free to Be Ruth Bader Ginsburg Teri Kanefield, 2016-08-09 An informative, simply written account of the impressive arc of Ginsburg's life. --Publisher's Weekly Before taking her place as the second woman on the Supreme Court of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg quietly led a revolution and forever changed life in America for both men and women. Reserved and quiet, she didn't set out to be a trailblazer, but there was something in her way: the law. Hundreds of years of legal precedent, a line of devastating Supreme Court cases, and countless statutes depriving women of equal citizenship and keeping them from full participation in the legal and political process. Mixing social and legal history with a moving and intimate biography, award-winning author Teri Kanefield captures a turbulent era and tells the story of how Ruth Bader Ginsburg defied expectations to become one of the most influential and powerful women in America. We hear many voices in this wonderfully engaging biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and come away with a far richer understanding of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and of what the rise of feminism has meant for all of us, whatever our gender, whatever our politics. —Kathleen Vanden Heuvel, Law Library Director, Adjunct Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law An absorbing personal biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg that is also equal parts legal history and political philosophy. Like Ginsburg herself, Kanefield's narrative is precise, candid, logical, yet filled with humor and irony. She shows the reader the warmth and humility behind a serious legal mind. Free to Be Ruth Bader Ginsburg will appeal to a wide range of readers and is a valuable addition to all types of libraries.—Suzy Szasz Palmer, Past President, Virginia Library Association An engrossing biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg that doubles as a primer on how America's champions for gender equality pressed their cause in the courts. Recommended for every law student, lawyer, and lay reader looking for an authoritative yet readable treatment of how the law shapes women's lives, and vice-versa.—Kathleen Morris, Associate Professor of Law, Golden Gate Law School Free to Be is a richly detailed biography offering fascinating insights into the groundbreaking career of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and at the same time charting for readers a thorough and engaging history of the law of sex discrimination and equal protection jurisprudence that she helped to shape. Kanefield's book is a must read, not only for fans of RBG but for anyone interested in a more complete understanding of the evolution of women's rights and legal status in the U.S.—Sharmilla Lodhia, Associate Professor, Women's and Gender Studies, Santa Clara University. Kanefield expertly weaves together the history of women in law and the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's pragmatic and strategic approach to gradually influence changes in legal rulings related to equality in the U.S. She paints a picture of Ginsburg's drive, attention to detail, and collegiality - all things that contributed to her rise to the Supreme Court. Free to Be is a must read for those who love history, want to know more about the women's rights movement, or have an interest in modern politics and culture. I highly recommend it!—Kristi Jensen, Librarian, University of Minnesota From the Book Bloggers: . . .thought-provoking. . . I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the history of gender discrimination.--Miss Penny's Dreadful Blog (four stars) Overall this was a great biography and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about one of our current Supreme Court Justices.--Yellow Brick Living (five stars) . . . one of the best written books I've read this year.--Musings of a Books Addict (five stars) |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Lazy B Sandra Day O'Connor, H. Alan Day, 2003-04-08 The remarkable story of Sandra Day O’Connor’s family and early life, her journey to adulthood in the American Southwest that helped make her the woman she is today: the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and one of the most powerful women in America. “A charming memoir about growing up as sturdy cowboys and cowgirls in a time now past.”—USA Today In this illuminating and unusual book, Sandra Day O’Connor tells, with her brother, Alan, the story of the Day family, and of growing up on the harsh yet beautiful land of the Lazy B ranch in Arizona. Laced throughout these stories about three generations of the Day family, and everyday life on the Lazy B, are the lessons Sandra and Alan learned about the world, self-reliance, and survival, and how the land, people, and values of the Lazy B shaped them. This fascinating glimpse of life in the Southwest in the last century recounts an important time in American history, and provides an enduring portrait of an independent young woman on the brink of becoming one of the most prominent figures in America. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The RBG Workout Bryant Johnson, 2017-10-17 A fun, fully illustrated exercise book that details Ruth Bader Ginsburg's workout, written by her trainer. Have you ever wondered what keeps Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the Supreme Court’s favorite octogenarians, so sprightly? She owes it in part to the twice-weekly workouts she does with her personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, a man she's called “the most important person” in her life. Now you too can work out with Justice Ginsburg’s trainer in the comfort of your home with The RBG Workout. From planks to squats to (full) push-ups, this simple but challenging workout—illustrated with four-color illustrations of the justice in workout gear—will have you getting fit in no time. With tips from the bench, and sidebars with Bryant’s folksy wisdom on getting fit and staying healthy, this delightful book is a perfect gift for anyone looking to emulate one of America’s most admired women. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: I Dissent Debbie Levy, 2016-09-20 Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—in the first picture book about her life—as she proves that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable! Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG, tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: The Collars of RBG Elinor Carucci, Sara Bader, 2023-11-14 A striking portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her historic tenure on the United States Supreme Court, brought to life with incisive quotes and bold photographs of her iconic collars. “RBG was unlike any other. So is this visual tribute to her.”—Pete Souza, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Obama: An Intimate Portrait A PARADE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR The collar is a powerful point of entry for exploring Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and her tireless work on America’s highest court. The twenty-five neckpieces captured here—in over eighty stunning photographs by award-winning photographer Elinor Carucci—hoffer insight into RBG’s legacy. Her sharp use of language, a linchpin of her notorious dissents, is celebrated throughout, with quotes to support each collar and its story. The bold, ornate, and subversive collars she chose to wear on the bench communicated so much more. Shortly after RBG’s passing in September, 2020, Carucci was commissioned by Time magazine for a commemorative piece on the late justice, focused on the stories behind her legendary collars. Here, Carucci and co-author Sara Bader use each collar to highlight a defining career moment, from RBG’s earliest argument for gender equality to her support of immigration and marriage equality throughout her twenty-seven years on the bench. Some of her collars are well-known, like her dissent collar, or her favorite white beaded neckpiece that she wore for important portraits. Other collars are less familiar but tell poignant stories of artists, colleagues, friends, and fans whose gifts to Justice Ginsburg found meaning in her hands. Small in stature but towering in influence, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was described as a titan, a civil rights hero, and most poetically, by her colleague Justice Stephen Breyer, “a rock of righteousness.” The Collars of RBG is an artful collection of moments from this warrior’s legacy, crystallizing the many ways RBG reshaped the cultural landscape for us all. |
| ruth bader ginsburg speech gender equality: Text, Cases, and Materials on Sex-based Discrimination Herma Hill Kay, 1981 |
