Ruth Bader Ginsberg

“R.I.P. Notorious RBG!” Thousands of people, including my sister, Cheryl Bond, shouted as they marched up to the Supreme Court in both strength and sorrow. On the evening of September 18, 2020, the legendary Supreme Court justice and women’s rights activist, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, passed away from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. The death of the feminist icon has greatly affected the mental health of America, and has left many questioning the future of our nation at the cusp of the Presidential election.

RBG pushed boundaries and exemplified integrity in everything she did. RBG graduated first in her class at Harvard Law School, where she repeatedly faced hostility and opposition to her profound brilliance in the male-dominated environment. She would later become the first tenured female professor at Columbia Law School, the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a justice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. RBG continued to fight for justice in the face of oppression, earning her one of the most coveted political positions in the world. In 1993, RBG would take a seat in the political “hall of fame” by becoming the second female Supreme Court justice. However, RBG’s road to the office was filled with sexism and tragedy that greatly affected the mental well-being of the Supreme Court justice. 

In her early career, RBG experienced discrimination in the workplace and in her social life due to her demographics as a female and a Jew. This prejudice had intense negative effects on her mental health, but she continued to work furiously to disprove the stereotypes against women. Shortly after being appointed to the bench, RBG experienced her first battle with pancreatic cancer. Over the next 20 years she served on the bench, RBG would receive consistent chemotherapy treatments for pancreatic, colon, and lung cancer. Chemotherapy is extremely physically and mentally tolling, especially while serving in the highest seat of judicial power in the world. One of the ways RBG helped to cope with her mental struggles was through exercise. In her biography titled, The Notorious RBG, Ginsberg shared her passion for exercise, as it helped her to alleviate any stress or thoughts of depression caused by chemotherapy. Twice a week, other Supreme Court justices would find RBG in the court’s private gym, completing her exercise routine.  

Throughout her time in the spotlight, Ginsberg was open and honest to the public about her physical and mental struggles. Unfortunately, these issues are often disregarded in today’s society as more salient issues such as political disputes, natural disasters, and economic downturns tend to take the focus. However, Gisnberg remained dedicated to the truth, and she did not let her physical and mental struggles consume or weigh her down. RBG would serve as a Supreme Court justice for 13 years, where she would preside over extremely important and controversial cases such as the United States vs. Virginia (eliminated the Virginia Military Institute’s male-only admission policy), Sessions vs. Dimaya (prevented the expulsion of non-citizens from the U.S.), and Obergefell vs. Hodges (enforced the legality of same-sex marriage in all states). Through her pioneering efforts for gender equality, RBG has subsequently advocated for mental wellness for all people, and she will forever be a model of justice, integrity, and equality. 

Rest. In. Power. 

https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/ruth-bader-ginsburg

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ruth-bader-ginsburg-supreme-court-rulings-to-know-about