Ginsburg’s impact on women spanned age groups, backgrounds

By JOCELYN NOVECK September 21, 2020 GMT

“She was my teacher in so many ways,” said Gloria Steinem, the nation’s most visible feminist leader, in an interview. But even if she hadn’t known her personally, Steinem said, it was due to Ginsburg, who died Friday at 87 of complications of cancer, that “for the first time I felt the Constitution was written for me.”

“Now, it wasn’t written for me — it left out most folks, actually, when it was written,” Steinem added. But, she said, by forcing the courts to address issues like workplace discrimination, sexual assault and a host of others, Ginsburg “literally made me feel as if I had access to the law, because Ruth was there.”

But the extent of Ginsburg’s influence was felt not only by older women like Steinem, 86, who understood from experience the obstacles Ginsburg faced, such as not being able to find a job at a New York law firm despite graduating at the top of her class at Columbia Law School.

Younger women and girls also say they were inspired by the justice’s achievements, her intellect and her fierce determination as she pursued her career. Hawa Sall, 20, a first-generation college student in New York, said it was Ginsburg who inspired her to attend Columbia, where she’s now an undergraduate studying human rights and planning on law school.

“Her resilience, her tenacity, her graciousness through it all — she’s always been one of my biggest inspirations in life,” said Sall, who lives in Brooklyn where Ginsburg was born, and whose family comes from Mali and Senegal. “She’s what I’ve always wanted to be, and still want to be.”

Sall says she was fascinated by what she learned about Ginsburg when she attended an event at the Lower Eastside Girl’s Club in Manhattan for the 2015 book, “Notorious RBG,” by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik (the title played on the name of Brooklyn rapper The Notorious B.I.G.) That book was part of a wave of rock-star like fame that enveloped Ginsburg in her later years on the bench, making her a hero to a younger generation: There was also a famed impression by Kate McKinnon on “Saturday Night Live,” a feature film, starring Felicity Jones as Ginsburg, and the hit documentary “RBG,” both in 2018.

Julie Cohen and Betsy West, who co-directed “RBG,” saw firsthand how women of all ages quickly identified with Ginsburg.

“We’d go to screenings … and afterward older women who had been through the kind of discrimination she faced as a young woman would be sobbing … because they knew what she was up against, and what she did to help them and their daughters and granddaughters,” West said.

But also, Cohen added: “She became a huge symbolic figure for young women and even girls in a way that we hadn’t anticipated. So many children came to the movie, often little girls dressed in little robes. … Girls seemed to find her just mesmerizing.”

West theorizes the fascination might have come from Ginsburg’s small stature. Her legacy, though, was nothing less than enormous, she said: “She changed the world for American women.”

It wasn’t just Democratic-leaning women who praised Ginsburg. Stacey Feeback, a 33-year-old Fayetteville, North Carolina, voter at a weekend rally for President Donald Trump, said the justice was “an inspirational woman.” 

“She meant a lot to the (women’s) movement,” Feeback said. “She’s been an inspiration. She’s brought America and women forward in a generation.”

Ginsburg first gained fame as a litigator for the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, which she directed in the ’70s. The project marked “a real turning point for situating women’s rights not just as a gender issue, but as a civil rights issue that affected all of us,” said Ria Tabacco Mar, its current head.

At the time, the Supreme Court had never applied the Constitution’s guarantee of “equal protection of the laws” to strike down a law because of gender discrimination. That changed in 1971 with a case in which Ginsburg helped persuade the high court to invalidate an Idaho law that called for choosing men over women to administer the estates of the dead.

Two years later, she again prevailed — making her first oral argument before the high court she would later join — in the case of a female Air Force officer whose husband was denied spousal benefits that male officers’ wives automatically received.

“For every gender injustice that we see today, Ruth Bader Ginsburg saw it first, and she fought it first,” said Tabacco Mar.

Devi Rao, one of Ginsburg’s law clerks in 2013, said the justice had taught her that “law isn’t just about the law — it’s about the people whose lives are impacted by those laws.” 

Rao, who now works on appellate cases for a civil rights firm, said Ginsburg “distinguished herself in a man’s world and on a man’s court without looking like them or sounding like them, but simply because they couldn’t deny the power of her ideas. She teaches women and girls not to count themselves out even though they don’t look like those in power.” 

It’s that lesson that mothers like Brianne Burger hope their daughters will understand. Earlier this year, Burger posted a photo of her daughter Adi, 5, on Facebook, outfitted as RBG in black robe and glasses for a school dress-up day in Washington, D.C. The girl came home delighted, her mother said, that so many people recognized her costume.

“She still talks about that day,” said Burger. 

Asked what Adi understands about Ginsburg, the mother replied: “She knows that RBG made girls equal to boys.”

Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz in New York, Jessica Gresko in Washington and Bryan Anderson in Fayetteville, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

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IGE member Janice Pugh died August 30, 2020 (b. February 28, 1948). Janice was confined to a wheelchair for many years due to a car accident. She was brave and interesting.  She is survived by her son Evan. There are no plans for a funeral or memorial at this time.  – Katie Villaire

Send Flowers

go slow.
let go.
seem lazy.
take it easy
& war will cease.
increase
respect
expect
difference
life is not a race.
proceed at your own pace.
police your space.
release fear and anger with grace.
embrace peace.
not scary.
very necessary
take it easy
& war will cease.

The South East Market is not only an important new addition to the area in regards to food access, it is also founded on a philosophy that will uplift the moral integrity of both business and community. As the mission states, the market aims to “increase access to healthy and culturally appropriate food for our community through a sustainable and equitable lens.” Alita Kelly, the founder, understands the contiguous connection between our bodies and the Earth and that the health of one depends on the other. Having grown up in the area herself, she also understands that there are voices missing. Alita recently graduated from the University of Michigan in Environmental Science and Sustainable Business. Her past work with local food access organizations and managing nutritional programs has led her to the ambitious pursuit of empowering equitable and sustainable food systems. The value of our health is priceless, which is why the market aims to support the community at large, not exclusively the southeast area. However, the marginalized neighborhoods on the southeast side of Grand Rapids have long endured a lack of healthy food options, which is why the market is particularly committed to bridging that gap for the residents.

The land we live on today, and the land that the market will stand on, is not our own. It is important to understand the history of this land, which once belonged to the peoples of the First Nation. Indigenous philosophy declares that land cannot be owned, it is viewed as our mother and it is our responsibility to care for it, like a relationship. According to their teachings, respect, responsibility, and reciprocity are essential components of maintaining a healthy relationship with both people and nature. These components are also embedded in the foundation of the market.

Sustainability is crucial for a healthy future, but equity is essential as well. Equity starts with respecting and understanding the community’s values and desires, and then aiding in the effort to reach those desires while preserving their dignity. Out of respect for the community’s needs the South East Market makes healthy and affordable produce accessible for families; out of respect for the land the market is sourcing that produce conscientiously. By making these promises, the market also has a responsibility to uphold its values and ensure that concerns for equity are addressed.

The responsibilities we hold correspond with the gifts we are given; as humans, we have the gift of stewardship, knowledge, gratitude, etc. Applying these gifts and more, the market is fulfilling its responsibility to the health of the land and community. It is solving issues through business and community outreach by listening to the community members firsthand. After all, the produce cannot be culturally appropriate without familiarity with the culture. Similarly, the produce is not necessarily ensuring equity if it is not being sourced from a diversity of farmers. The market recognizes this as well and intends to source as much product as possible from Black, Indigenous, people of color and women farmers in the Michigan area. In an effort to keep the food prices affordable for our community members, however, additional food will be supplemented by local farms and larger distribution companies.

In order for the relationship to be successful it must be symbiotic, which in this case means that if the community wants to see the local businesses thrive and continue into the future, the community must also do its part and support the business. By both parties fulfilling their responsibilities it becomes mutually beneficial, also referred to as a reciprocal relationship. With the continual support of the community it becomes even easier for the South East Market to provide more options and meet more needs. The market will soon be able to accept payments from both Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With shown interest, there are also hopes to start community workshops to educate the public on various topics concerning health and well-being. The market recognizes the value of a sparked interest, hopefully its farmer-to-consumer connection will inspire the community to learn more about the ways in which their food is produced.

While in its infancy, the market will conduct business virtually. The customers can visit the website and choose which items they would like in their food order. Everything sold through the business will be highly reviewed for its level of sustainable production. The market is working to also offer options that are designed to improve health conditions, such as diabetes, or help work toward personal health goals by organizing a pre-arranged basket of ingredients and recipe cards to prepare the healthy meals. To further aid with accessibility, customers may choose to pick up their produce or have it delivered if they reside within the 49507 zip code.  

The market is an investment in the community to uplift the voices and make it a happier and healthier environment, but it also needs your support and small investments to do so effectively. Please visit the market’s website for more information. If you support community health and empowerment please consider donating to the South East Market’s GoFundMe page.

Re: COVID-19, Michigan Unemployment & Medicare

My name is Matthew Brady and my partner Elizabeth and I live in Holland, Michigan. We met in our mid-thirties and have been together five years. I grew up in Cheboygan county, but Elizabeth grew up in Holland. Elizabeth has Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (Type 2C), which is a very rare form of LGMD. She can move her fingers and speak clearly and is able to work part-time from home. The muscle’s behind Elizabeth’s lungs have weekend to the point where she needs machines to assist her in coughing and ventilating CO2 during sleep. This factor also makes her vulnerable to complications with respiratory infections/diseases, such as COVID-19.

I am fortunately very much aware of the problem of induction and so I keep an eye out for big problems. I started preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak by early March. Elizabeth has aide care, and that is very precious and necessary for us, but the threat of contracting COVID-19 from an aide was a major concern for us. Elizabeth consulted her doctor in mid-March, and he recommended having as few people entering the home as possible. So I told the printshop (I had worked for eight years) that I needed to be her critical worker during the Stay Home/Stay Safe order. The printshop was fine with it at first, and when I spoke with HR, it sounded like I was going to get partial sick pay. Then I was laid off in April, and ultimately terminated at the end of May. By June I was completely unemployed and Elizabeth was struggling to get her aide care back to normal. Her aide care makes it possible for her to work and ultimately me. Having consistent, reliable, and safe aide care provides me respite care and allows me to be able to work full-time. Providing 100% of Elizabeth’s care (both personal and professional) for ten weeks was very physically taxing on me and difficult for us emotionally. Elizabeth finally got her aide care completely back on track by the end of July. Elizabeth has two aides providing her care and they are responsible and respectful of her being high-risk. 

I had a difficult time getting my assistance from the Michigan Unemployment Agency, but I finally did receive my benefits recently. Now the problem is finding a job. With a second wave of COVID-19 on the horizon, it seems like no-one is ready to begin hiring longterm. 

I’m very interested in relocating up north; where I grew up. I have stronger ties to a community there. I’m also concerned that, aside from Amazon and the 5G sector, the majority of our economy is heading for tough times. It just makes sense to me that the future is more local (in food production as one example) and so that’s where I’d like to see us. Elizabeth has a lot of concerns though, because there is a lot more to consider when you are significantly disabled. It would sure be nice to have some hope for Medicare for all or even a public option, because that of course is a huge concern for us. I lost my health care when I was terminated in May, and that’s not even one of my priorities at this point.

We are very fortunate and blessed compared to most. Our bills are paid for now and we have the basics. We are grateful to IGE for supporting the Western Michigan community. I wish I could spend more time with IGE, and do more in the community. I am trying to figure out how to help some environmentalists from home. I just hope people can come together and support each other during these troubled times.