Iconic justice leaves vacant seat in Supreme Court
By Emelie Weinbeck, Staff Writer
The United States of America lost an icon on Sept. 18.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at 87 from complications of pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg left behind a legacy of landmark cases, advancements in women’s rights and a spotlight in pop culture. Ginsburg started her career at Columbia Law School in 1972 where she became the first tenured female professor.
In 1980, she was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and in 1993 she became the second woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. During her time serving on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg became known as a crusader for women’s rights.
As Ginsburg began to leave her mark on the world, she started to gain celebrity status as her career went on. In 2013, law student Shana Knizhnik created a Tumblr account dedicated to “RBG” after her memorable Shelby County v. Holder case which dealt with voting rights. The account blew up and overnight Ginsburg’s face was all over stickers, memes and t-shirts labelling her as the Notorious R.B.G.
Today, the Tumblr account hosts an online store complete with Ginsburg themed hats, mugs, totes, onesies and more.
In 2017, Ginsburg’s personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, published an illustrated exercise book that included the justice’s hour-long workout routine. During an episode of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in 2018, Ginsburg invited Colbert to do her workout and put him to shame.
During the 2012 season of “Saturday Night Live,” Ginsburg made her first appearance portrayed by actress Kate Mckinnon. The actress portrayed Ginsburg in a skit and later returned with lively impersonations on the “Weekend Update” segments introducing the actresses phrase “Ginsburned”. Other skits by SNL have featured Mckinnon in a rap video and Ginsburg’s workout video that aired on the Colbert show.
On May 25, 2018, the “RBG” documentary was released and became an instant hit. The film gave viewers an unfiltered look at Ginsburg’s personal and professional triumphs. The film also captures her rise to celebrity status as well as her marriage to Martin Ginsburg who was a tax lawyer and stood out among members of his generation by celebrating his wife’s career before his own.
Ginsburg’s beloved husband, Martin D. Ginsburg, passed away in 2010 at the age of 78 after losing a battle with cancer. Shortly after “RBG” hit the big screens the film “On The Basis of Sex” was released. This drama starred Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer as it revisits Ginsburg’s early days as a lawyer struggling to find work. The movie dives deeper into the justice’s breakthrough case, arguing that a man denied a tax benefit is a victim of gender discrimination. To say Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s career was anything but successful is an understatement. The world will forever remember what a strong, powerful woman she was.
weinbeec20@bonaventure.edu
