Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away September 18 at the age of 87 after battling cancer. I was inspired by her words: "Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you." She was a feminist icon and inspired me to want to make a change in my community.
If you're unfamiliar with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she paved the way for young women today by fighting against a misogynistic system. She attended Cornell University and Harvard Law School before ultimately getting her law degree from Columbia University. Nominated by Bill Clinton in 1993, she was the second woman to serve in the U.S. Supreme Court and fought for equality across the county for the last 27 years. Before being appointed to the Supreme Court, she was an advocate for gender equality and women's rights. During this time she brought five cases to the Supreme Court concerning women's rights and won. She was fierce and was an inspiration to not only me, but thousands of girls across the country. It's a sad day when anyone passes away, but this one is devastating for the future of our nation.
"My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed"
Before her death, Ruth Bader Ginsdberg said this to her granddaughter. She knew that her death would mean a new appointee made by Trump, making a conservative majority in the Supreme Court. The addition of another conservative in the Supreme Court could be detrimental to civil rights and overturn most of her life's work. Back in 2016, Mitch McConnell stated, "the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president." He refused to consider President Obama's nominee and should uphold that same decision with the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Roe v. Wade
With the passing of RBG, Roe v. Wade is now at risk of being overturned. Roe v. Wade is a landmark decision that ruled a woman's right to have an abortion. From the start of his presidency, Trump has been against abortion and has even said that women who have abortions should have "some sort of punishment." It is a scary world when women don't have a say in what happens to their bodies. There are many reasons for abortion including rape victims, underlying health issues, being able to afford to support a child, etc. No woman should have to explain herself for wanting to have the option as to what happens to her body. If abortions are made illegal, that does not mean the end of abortions - just safe practices. Not only will the overturning of Roe v. Wade endanger the lives of many women, but it will also harm future generations. With RBG on the Supreme Court, she made sure Roe v. Wade wasn't overturned, but now the future is unclear.
Obamacare
The Affordable Cares Act, or more commonly known as Obamacare, is a law to make sure everyone has access to affordable healthcare. Within the first few years of Obamacare, more than 16 million citizens now have health insurance. In 2012, RBG voted to maintain the law and saved Obamacare from being invalidated. Before her passing, Ginsburg would have maintained the upholding of Obamacare, but sadly that's no longer the case. Now millions of people's healthcare is at risk of being lost.
LGBTQ+ Rights
Ginsberg's vote in Obergefell v. Hodges helped legalize same-sex marriage in the United States. With the loss of Ginsberg, the potential of a conservative dominated Supreme Court is high. Future cases concerning the LGBTQ+ community are at stake. It's awful that with a single loss, people in the LGBTQ+ community are terrified for their future. She fought to preserve our basic human rights and now they are at risk.
Please watch On the Basis of Sex and understand the struggles and battles that Ruth Bader Ginsburg overcame to defend our nation. On the right side of history, she dedicated her life to the improvement and equality of this country. Now it is our turn to make sure all of that work does not get destroyed. RBG is no longer here to fight these battles for us, so we must honor her legacy and fight. Vote! Don't let the Trump administration ruin her legacy and strip us of basic human rights.
