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Why Ruth Bader Ginsburg Is Our Hero

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at HWS chapter.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg has inspired so many throughout her years serving on the Supreme Court; here are 5 reasons why RBG is our hero. 

1. The Second Woman Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court

In 1993, under the Clinton administration, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed to the highest court in the land. This made her the second woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court after Sandra Day O’Connor. She is now currently one of three women serving on the Supreme Court. Her appointment also made her the first Jewish female to sit on the Supreme Court.

 

2. She Defied Odds

While her mother tragically passed away while she was still in high school, RBG went on to receive her undergraduate degree from Cornell University. She later went on to attend Harvard Law, where she was not only raising her first child but was also one of 9 women in her class of 500. She later went on and transferred to Columbia Law, where she graduated top of her class.

3. A Voice for Change 

Much of RBG’s legal career was spent advocating for gender equality and women’s rights. She co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU, going on to argue more than 300 cases on gender discrimination. She also worked on many cases where she advocated for women’s rights, including the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Today, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an advocate for abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, and gender equality.

 

4. She’s a Fitness Queen 

Even at age 85, she is still working out every day. Her workout routine includes 20 push-ups and a 30-second plank. Here is a video of her and Stephen Colbert doing her fitness routine!

 

5. She’s a Fashion Icon

She wears jabots (collars) in order to take up her own visual space to contrast all of the black robes and ties. Through the jabots she is able to add her own personal style while also reclaiming space visually, showing how powerful women can truly be. RBG can always be seen wearing a unique jabot, inspiring us to be revolutionary in our fashion choices while also embracing our power as women. 

 

Emme is a Classics and Women's Studies double major. In the future, she hopes to work politics and on political campaigns. She enjoys writing on topics such as current politics, women's issues, the environment, and popular entertainment. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, singing, listening to Broadway show tunes, and finding cute pictures of Corgis.