By CAT GORDON
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who turned 86 on March 15 of this year, has become an icon in American society. A trailblazer for the women’s rights movement, her dissenting opinions have brought about unprecedented actions furthering gender equality.
On Tuesday, March 5, the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies hosted a birthday bash in her honor.
Upon walking into HPAC 120, attendees were given a raffle number and a selection of Ginsburg swag, including pins and stickers.
The festivities began with cake, of course, and a screening of the award-winning documentary RBG directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen. The film tells the story of Ginsburg’s life—from being a young lawyer in the 1950s, a time when no firms would hire women, to the present day as she faithfully continues her public service.
Once the film had ended, Dr. Esther Godfrey and guest facilitator Courtney Thomas of WREN, Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, opened the floor for discussion and then invited a few student workers to the front of the room to disperse the raffle prizes. Among the goodies given away were intricate, hand-painted RBG dolls and “dissent collar” pins, the latter representing how Ginsburg challenged the decisions made by her peers on the bench.
“When you study her career, you can see what a big difference having a feminist voice in a position of power has made,” said Dr. Godfrey. “From her time as a lawyer arguing before the Supreme Court to her current iconic status, her career marks a step toward the equality of all human beings. We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s definitely worth celebrating champions like RBG.”
Attending Ginsburg’s birthday bash was the perfect way to kick off National Women’s History Month.
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