A couple of weeks ago I watched the movie, On the Basis of Sex. The movie is about the early career of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG). There were several insights and inspirations that came from watching this movie, which I am sharing with you now.

Insight

There is a moment late in the movie where RBG has a choice. Choose to stand, embrace vulnerability, walk through it, and give the District Court Justices all she had. Wow. Was a pivotal point.

It reminds me that we all have choices. When we are confronted with difficulty, people telling us we can’t, we’re not good enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, not insert here whatever you’ve been told. We have a choice.

We can allow these people to have power over us by accepting and holding onto the reality they are creating; or, we can create a different reality. One that gives us the space to love ourselves for exactly who we are. Right now, in this moment.

We must first accept ourselves, both our “weaknesses” and our “strengths.” Every aspect of who we are. Why? Because when we resist aspects of ourselves, they actually grow and become more present.

Choose love over fear.

Inspiration

RBG. Period. Did you know that when at Harvard Law School, her husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer. What did RBG do? Hm. Only attend both of their classes, and assist her husband with his school work, while, yep, also completing all of her work. Impressive and inspirational.

RBG was also told repeatedly by many different people that her driving force to create gender equity was not possible. RBG was given every reason in the world to quit. Give up. And? Mm. Persistence.

RBG is responsible for massive change in the nature of gender equity in this country. Insightful and inspirational.

Quotes

I had a hard time choosing my favorite RBG quote, so am including all of the ones I found.

• “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
• “So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune.”
• “Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.”
• “When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out.”
• “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
• “You can’t have it all, all at once.”
• “I’m a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.”
• “In the course of a marriage, one accommodates the other”
• “In every good marriage, it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.”
• “A gender line…helps to keep women not on a pedestal, but in a cage.”
• “If you want to be a true professional, do something outside yourself.”
• “Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true.”
• “Don’t be distracted by emotions like anger, envy, resentment. These just zap energy and waste time.”
• “You can disagree without being disagreeable.”
• “If you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it. I had a life partner who thought my work was as important as his, and I think that made all the difference for me.”
• “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.”
• “I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.”

More Reading

Short article on Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg landmark court cases

Quotes retrieved from inc.com

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