Ruth Bader Ginsburg started her career as a young, unknown lawyer and has ended it as an icon in the eyes of Americans fighting for gender equality. On Sep. 18, 2020, Ginsburg, associate justice of the Supreme Court, passed away. Her passing is not the end of her influence though. The people inspired by her actions will continue to advance her legacy of advocating for equality. Ginsburg broke down barriers for decades and is part of the reason that women have some of the opportunities they do today. Still, people across the country have expressed their fear for what a future without her holds.
Throughout her career, Ginsburg was a persistent advocate for equal rights for women and the LGBT+ community. Her passion and ambition inspired many, leading her to rise as a pop culture icon. She became a face of the resistance movement against President Trump, her name showing up everywhere from protest signs to t-shirts. That’s not the beginning of her legacy though. Since the ’70s, she had been fighting for a world where men and women are equal. During her time on the Supreme Court, she voted in favor of the pro-choice movement, LGBTQ rights and has backed many progressive movements. She is part of the reason why same-sex couples can marry, why women can get abortions and why women are required to do jury duties. Ginsburg leaves behind a long and enduring legacy that has forever changed the world.
Still, people are worried about what will happen with her out of the picture. Ginsburg stated that her dying wish was for her spot on the Supreme Court to not be replaced until a new president was elected. Trump has not stood by her wish and has already nominated a new person to fill her spot- a young conservative judge, Amy Coney Barrett. Democrats aren’t happy with the choice. “By nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, President Trump has once again put Americans’ healthcare in the crosshairs,” Chuck Schumer, a Democratic senator, said, implying that selecting Barrett puts the healthcare system in a worse position than it was in. Now, it’s not rational to think that just because Ginsburg has passed all the things she has done will be forgotten. The future remains unknown and many are scared but ready to continue the legacy Ginsburg left behind.
With her seat on the Supreme Court open, nobody can predict what will happen in the future. Some people have decided that it will be bad, but ultimately nobody knows. Hope is in the air right now, and it is hope for a future that Ginsburg would have wanted. She may have moved on, but the ideas she left behind remain for the world to decide how to react.