Long-term defense of women's rights, 5 fights against cancer... Ginsburg has made herself a legend

Source: Global Times

On Jewish New Year's Eve, Ruth Bud Ginsburg died in the company of his family at his residence in Washington, D.C., at the age of 87. Ginsburg has worked hard for women's rights all her life, and as the second female justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court, she has dedicated her 27 years in office to promoting the "most divisive" issues such as abortion, fighting cancer five times and making herself a legend.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1933 to Jewish parents, Ginsburg runs a small retail store. Her mother, Celia, was only in high school when she was young, so she had high expectations for her daughter. But Silia died the day before graduating from Ginsburg High School.

Ginsburg attended Cornell University on a scholarship and met Martin, a senior who was one level higher than her in her freshman year. The two fell in love almost at first sight, with Ginsburg saying: "He's the only boy I've ever met who cares that I'm a man with a brain." The two were engaged in Ginsburg's junior year and married after graduating in 1954. According to The New York Times, the duo had completely opposite personalities, she was carefully worded and often spoke with long pauses, while Martin was a passionate storyteller. However, the two have a deep relationship and were once a well-known lawyer couple in the industry.

Ginsburg had her first child shortly after getting married. She was originally offered a civil service position as a claims auditor, but was demoted to typist when she informed the personnel department of her pregnancy.

This discrimination accompanied Ginsburg's early life, both at work and in school. In the fall of 1956, Ginsburg entered Harvard Law School, becoming one of only nine girls in her class of 500 students. However, the dean of the law school at the time asked the female students to explain why he needed to give up the male quota and admit them. At the time, Ginsburg stuttered and said that because her husband was going to be a lawyer, she wanted to understand his work.

After her husband, Martin, found a job as a tax lawyer in New York, Ginsburg transferred to Columbia Law School to complete his final year of school. After graduation, despite Ginsburg's excellent grades, he did not receive a job offer. Years later, she recalled, "No law firm in New York wanted to hire me because I was Jewish, a woman, and a mother." But she persevered and worked in various jobs in the legal profession throughout the 1960s and beyond.

Schlanger, a law professor at the University of Washington and former law clerk of Ginsburg, said on the 19th that it was precisely because of his early experience that Ginsburg's interest in feminist litigation was stimulated. Before entering the Supreme Court, she was a leading advocate for women's rights in the courts. In 1972, Ginsburg became the first tenured female professor at Columbia Law School, the same year she co-founded the Women's Rights Program with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to continue to advocate for women's rights in court. Between 1973 and 1978, she brought six lawsuits to the Supreme Court and won five times against the same team of male lawyers.

In 1980, just as former U.S. President Jimmy Carter wanted to promote diversity in the federal courts, Ginsburg was nominated as a judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Her husband also followed her to Washington and began teaching at George Washington University. In 1993, Clinton appointed Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, becoming the second supreme court justice in history to be a woman. Clinton has said that meeting with her made her determined, "Within 15 minutes, I decided I was going to nominate her." ”

Fox News Network said that in the position of Ginsburg supports abortion, same-sex marriage, immigration rights, health care, affirmative action. At the Supreme Court, she was known for her gentle manners, analytical mind, deep concern for the rights of every American, and commitment to upholding the Constitution.

David Heizer, who previously worked on the Supreme Court, said Ginsburg changed the way the Supreme Court looks at litigation issues, which has also changed the lives of millions of people. In a glorious 60-year legal career, Ginsburg's status as a well-known American jurist is unparalleled and respected by both liberals and conservatives, according to the BBC. She has gained recognition from progressives on some of the most controversial social issues, not only repeatedly reiterating the importance of women's abortion rights, but also becoming the first member of the Supreme Court to officiate a same-sex wedding.

In his later years, Ginsburg received rock star-like treatment. When she speaks to liberal audiences across the country, she is often greeted with standing ovations. Ginsburg was also amazed at the reputation she had gained as a young woman, with people wearing "you can't have the truth without Ruth" T-shirts, making coffee cups and shaking dolls for her, and some young girls even put her images on their arms. The US media commented that she was petite, but when she thought most people were going astray, she could give a loud objection. The Americans gave her the nickname "Notorious RBG," which literally translates to "infamous Ginsburg," which is actually a fan name for her, and people remember and love her because of her objections in legal cases. USA Today said Ginsburg became a cultural icon with "a firm attitude and moves to break through obstacles."

Ginsburg's mother died of cervical cancer, and her husband died of testicular cancer in 2010. In Ginsburg's later years, she also repeatedly wrestled with cancer, suffering from colon, pancreatic and lung cancer. During the Obama administration, some urged Ginsburg to retire so that Obama could appoint her successor, a suggestion she rejected. The New York Times reported that in May, lesions were found on Ginsburg's liver. However, she has repeatedly said that as long as she is in good health and mentally sharp, she will always be in office. "I often say that as long as I can work at my full strength, I will continue to serve as a Supreme Court justice," she said in July when she announced that her pancreatic cancer had recurred, "and I am still fully capable of doing it." A few days before his death, Ginsburg also told his granddaughter: "My strongest desire is that I will not be replaced until the new president takes office." ”

Now that she's gone, she once said to herself: "The most satisfying thing in my life is that I was involved in a movement that made life better, and the beneficiaries of this movement were not just women." ”