'The Notorious RBG': How feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg's nickname was inspired by rapper The Notorious B.I.G.
The passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the legendary Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, has once again reminded people the absolute grit, determination and unparalleled inspiration the late 87-year-old is. Nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993, the life, career and achievements of Ginsburg earned her the nickname 'The Notorious RBG'; a play on the name of the late legendary New York rapper The Notorious B.I.G., and rightly so.
Starting her career in 1960, a time when women weren't equitably represented amongst the high ranks of the justice system, Ginsburg simply wanted to be a Supreme Court clerk but was rejected because of gender. Determined to be part of the legal profession, she fought her way in and became a prominent voice for the advancement of women's rights. A few years later, she made it to the nation's highest court becoming the second woman justice ever. Part of landmark Supreme Court decisions, she soon became a celebrated figure and a cultural icon.
Ginsburg's life was full of overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. From the time in 1972 when she became the first female full professor at Columbia Law School to receiving the American Bar Association Medal, the association's highest honor, in 2010, Ginsburg's life was full of iconic moments. Not only was she the one to launch the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) Women's Rights Project, she was the first-ever Supreme Court justice to officiate a same-sex marriage
A leading voice of the progressives, Ginsburg was instrumental in fighting for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, and the immigrants. As a female Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg voiced the importance of a woman's sole autonomy over her own body. She criticized the involvement of men and the State when it came to the reproductive rights of women, and spoke in favor of allowing same-sex marriages ushering in a new era of progressive ideas winning over antiquated ones. Ginsburg was also key in resolving the disputed 2000 presidential election in favor of the then-Texas Governor George W. Bush.
Ginsburg's life was full of inspirations as the legal luminary beat cancer multiple times. First, in 1999, after being diagnosed with colon cancer, she underwent successful surgery and chemotherapy. Then, ten years later in 2009, Ginsburg was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent chemotherapy once again. Despite all her health issues, Ginsburg remained an essential part of the justice system of the United States. She kept fighting pancreatic cancer till the very end, at one point being declared cancer-free.
In 2016, Ginsburg's comments against the then-Republican presidential nominee Trump, where she called him a 'faker', was discussed widely. Even though she later said that such a comment was unbecoming of a judge and apologized, many Trump detractors called her brave for speaking up against the now 45th President of the United States. Her achievements are various; from being nominated into the National Women's Hall of Fame to winning the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy & Culture for her contributions to social justice and general equality.
Clearly always a trailblazer, Ginsburg's legacy is going to last for generations to come. Her impact on the social and moral fabric of America will outlive all Americans currently alive. And the influence she's had on young girls who, after seeing her being a badass legal luminary for decades, will create, just like it already has, more and more women who'll be determined to join the halls of the legal world as the next big attorneys, judges and, eventually, justices.
Just like the Notorious B.I.G, who gave young disenfranchised black men the hopes and dreams of making it big and breaking out of a vicious cycle of violence and racism, the Notorious RBG demonstrated throughout her life that no power, irrespective of how formidable it seems, can keep her, or you, away from rising up the ranks despite the rampant sexism that's all around.