Richard Ledesma February 6th, 2021
Bus 311-1801 Professor Buckler
The Equal Rights legislation in the U.S was and possibly still has affected more than half of the U.S as a whole. What exactly is the Equal Rights Legislation act? You may be asking yourself. This act was a proposed amendment to the United States where it guaranteed equal legal rights for all citizens in the U.S no matter what sex they were. This was supposed to be the end of the distinctions of both Men and Women, Examples like Divorce, Properties, Employment availability, and just Human rights in general. After watching the film “On the Basis of Sex” talking about and re living the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg really made me excited or some sort of joy towards women. It made me also realize that women have come a long way but there is still work to be done. To put it into simpler terms Ruth never gave up as every woman should, not only women but Men as well. Ruth was super relentless and wasn’t afraid of anything that got put in her way. Ruth was a mother, a Wife, and a Harvard Law student. She really showed the struggle of Women in the 1960s. Ruth studied or practiced her Law teaching skills to women and also practiced law by becoming a volunteer attorney being a Wife and a Mother. Ruth throughout the movie showed and demonstrated that just because Men and Women have what’s called a “Specific Role” in society doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of achieving success. Ruth believed that because of political theories the courts made wrong decisions and that precedent does not always appeal in court cases. She studied the Laws super well and the court even tried to confuse and fight against her, but Ruth beat the odds, mastered it and bought it against them pretty much outsmarting them in other words.
Ruth was the exact definition of a Smart Women and a Leader and just because she was a Women was not afraid to challenge a Man while keeping up with her honor and nobility as a Women with equal rights. Ruth understood her role and the role of a Man when she began law school. Ruth didn’t just support and be biased towards women she wanted what was right alongside equal and fair treatment for men. She took advice from everyone and everything and learned from it, whenever her mentors and other Men had any suggestions for her, she took them and really focused on them and tried and actually learned from them. Ruth noticed that there were certain barriers that pretty much held back Americans, when she noticed that she urged the courts to extend laws and use their power. Ruth overall captured everyone’s attention, from her personality to her style of being fearless. She was a very powerful Women that proved it on and off the court as we use in basketball terms.
Throughout the years in the movie Ruth experienced multiple examples of “Gender Discrimination”. For example, she got rejected by 12 law firms for being a woman. Ruth really took a “Stand” and pretty much be the man to try and change the way the world was viewing both genders. Ruth wanted to be heard and she did everything she could do make that happened. Ruth knew that the system had to be worked on she made it change. Ruth made the future bright for all women and even future children. Who would’ve thought she would make this happen years ago? Absolutely no one because only some believed and one of them was Ruth. The world as a whole knew who Ruth Bader Ginsburg was. Many changes were made but discrimination still exists not only here in the U.S but all over the world.
Women have come a long way like I mentioned earlier but there are still lots to be done. Ruth has become a big inspiration to Women. Women and Men are different in certain aspects, but no one deserves to be underneath one another. I personally know women that study law and are on track to graduating on high standards. There is still changed to be made which is crazy to even acknowledge or even think that. It is 2021 and there is no such thing as equal rights which is sad to see but hopefully things change.
Hi Richard,
I enjoyed reading your post. Sounds like you definitely enjoyed the movie as much as I did. I like how you especially focused on the determination and relentless effort that was the cornerstone of Ruth’s work ethic. Even in the face of all of the adversity and centuries of precedent that made discrimination a normal part of society; Ruth continued to push on.
What I especially loved about her story is that her original aspirations were to practice law like her Husband and everyone else. She did not originally chase down this grand moral mission of equal treatment under the law for all Americans until the very issue reared it’s ugly head in her own career. Like you mentioned, she rejected by numerous law firms who never saw her on equal footing as man. I believe nothing makes a moral cause more personal then if you have experienced that same injustice yourself. Like many of America’s civil rights leaders, they fought because of their own life stories of dealing with those issues and wanted a better future for their children and future generations.
While RBG’s mission of equal protection under the law may not be fully realized at this point; she made historic advances and her mission will continue to be carried on by future lawyers for years to come.