In the hallowed halls of justice, few have left a mark as indelible as the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Fondly known as RBG, this diminutive dynamo stood tall as a titan of law and a champion of equality. As the second woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court, she shattered glass ceilings with her gavel and left a legacy that continues to inspire generations. Today, we pay tribute to this iconic trailblazer through a compilation of 50 awe-inspiring Ruth Bader Ginsburg quotes that reflect her unyielding pursuit of justice and unwavering commitment to fairness.
Imagine a world where your dreams are limited not by your abilities but by your gender. Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn't just imagine it; she lived it. Back in the 1950s, as a young law student at Harvard, she faced a male-dominated legal realm that doubted her every step. Determined to forge ahead, she not only excelled in her studies but also graduated top of her class from Columbia Law School. Throughout her illustrious career, she fought tirelessly for gender equality and civil rights, leaving an indomitable mark on the nation's legal landscape. With her razor-sharp intellect and eloquent advocacy, RBG touched the hearts of millions, becoming a beacon of hope for those seeking justice in a world that often seemed stacked against them.
From her early days as a law student to her historic tenure on the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg's wisdom and fortitude continue to inspire change-makers, advocates, and justice-seekers worldwide. As we delve into these 50 powerful quotes, we invite you to reflect on the enduring impact of her words and the unyielding spirit of a true trailblazer. Let's celebrate the life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and draw inspiration from her remarkable journey towards a more just and equitable society.
Justice-seeking Ruth Bader Ginsburg Quotes
1. “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
2. “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
3. “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.”
4. “Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade.”
5. “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”
6. “The greatest dissents do become court opinions and gradually over time, their views become the dominant view.”
7. “We have the oldest written constitution still in force in the world, and it starts out with three words: ‘We, the people.'”
8. “In every good marriage, it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.”
9. “I'm a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.”
10. “I'm not as optimistic as I once was, but I remain hopeful.”
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Equality and Gender Rights
- “Women will have achieved true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.”
- “The state controlling a woman would mean denying her full autonomy and full equality.”
- “Women's rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda.”
- “Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.”
- “Dissents speak to a future age.”
- “If you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it.”
- “We should not be held back from pursuing our full talents, from contributing what we could contribute to the society because we fit into a certain mold.”
- “Women's rights are human rights.”
- “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.”
- “In the course of a marriage, one accommodates the other.”
Law and Justice
- “Justices continue to think and can change. I am ever hopeful that if the court has a blind spot today, its eyes will be open tomorrow.”
- “Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them.”
- “Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life.”
- “The court has the authority of constitutional interpretation.”
- “People ask me sometimes, when—when do you think it will be enough? When will there be enough women on the court? And my answer is when there are nine.”
- “A gender line helps to keep women not on a pedestal but in a cage.”
- “I'm a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.”
- “The pedestal upon which women have been placed has all too often, upon closer inspection, been revealed as a cage.”
- “If you want to be a true professional, do something outside yourself.”
- “When I'm sometimes asked when will there be enough [women on the Supreme Court], and I say, ‘When there are nine,' people are shocked.”
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Advocacy and Change
- “Don't be distracted by emotions like anger, envy, resentment. These just zap energy and waste time.”
- “When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out.”
- “You can't have it all, all at once.”
- “So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune.”
- “Feminism [is the] notion that we should each be free to develop our own talents and not be held back by man-made barriers.”
- “When contemplated in its extreme, almost any power looks dangerous.”
- “It is not women's liberation, it is women's and men's liberation.”
- “I'm a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.”
- “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
- “Someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.”
Dissent and Influence
- “When I'm sometimes asked when will there be enough [women on the Supreme Court], and I say, ‘When there are nine,' people are shocked. But there'd been nine men, and nobody's ever raised a question about that.”
- “Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade.”
- “I became a lawyer for selfish reasons.”
- “We should not be held back from pursuing our full talents, from contributing what we could contribute to the society because we fit into a certain mold.”
- “I'm a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.”
- “In every good marriage, it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.”
- “We have the oldest written constitution still in force in the world, and it starts out with three words: ‘We, the people.'”
- “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
- “In every good marriage, it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.”
- “So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune.”
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