RBG and the Power of Resilience
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, affectionately known as The Notorious RBG, passed away on September 18, 2020, just 45 days away from the 2020 election day, November 3rd. Ginsburg, a woman who fought for over 60 years for gender equality under the law has taken on a new meaning in pop culture: an iconic symbol of resilience. In the midst of our polarized political climate, global pandemic, social justice revolution, and so many other defining events of 2020, we all can take the values by which Ruth Bader Ginsburg lived and apply them to our own lives.
In an interview with NPR, Julie Cohen, director of the 2018 biographical documentary RBG, spoke of the values instilled within Ginsburg by her mother. The ideals of determination and the desire to learn fueled Ginsburg’s actions in every aspect of her life. At 87, this woman was lifting weights and doing push ups and planks with a private trainer. For 27 years she continued to pull all-nighters and manage a jam-packed schedule to advocate for gender equality and women’s rights, despite fighting both pancreatic and colon cancer. Cohen stated that Ginsburg was “determined to view tough things in life with optimism.” The American people have demonstrated the same in 2020. Though nobody’s favorite year, we are able to see how in the face of adversity, the people of our country have taken this opportunity to advocate for the ideals of equality - for social justice within the Black Lives Matter movement and for women’s rights in the aftermath of #MeToo. RBG is a cultural icon for resilience, and even though she is no longer on the bench to fight for these values in court, it is our job as active citizens to be aware of inequalities within our system and make a difference on the individual level. By showing resilience as individuals, we can unite to promote national change.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg lived during a time when as a woman, she had to defend her right to be in law school - and later to work as a lawyer - over that of a man. She was resilient in her ability to face these obstacles. Similarly, we must persevere when faced with the challenges of 2020 - in the face of wildfires, a pandemic, systemic racism, and now this historical election with its infamous partisanship. We must educate ourselves on our politicians and what they stand for and advocate for socially conscious leaders that don’t deny science or turn the other cheek to basic human rights. We as voters and activists must understand the meaning of RBG’s death as a progressive Supreme Court justice. Gender equality is at stake. The Affordable Care Act is at stake. Roe v. Wade is at stake. Given the Tweets about the upcoming election, even American democracy appears to be at stake. But rather than be oppressed by these threats, we must be resilient. We can mourn the loss of RBG yet act to uphold the values she championed, individually - by speaking out, by voting - and as a group to support these causes and ultimately, to ensure RBG’s legacy is safe in our hands.