Justice Ginsburg's Journey to Dissents and Influence on Reproductive Rights

Authors

Songo Wawa

Abstract

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s advocacy for gender equity, evidenced by her nationally famous dissents, began long before her 27 years on the Supreme Court. Prior to becoming a Supreme Court Justice, Attorney Ginsburg’s early experiences of gender inequity led to her advocacy for women’s rights as a law professor and as co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Women’s Rights Project. 1 Attorney Ginsburg’s legal strategy encompassed her pragmatic approach to voicing her opinions about gender equality. 2 In Gonzales v. Carhart, both her dissent announcement and written dissent demonstrated Justice Ginsburg’s commitment to women’s reproductive autonomy.3 Without Justice Ginsburg’s gender discrimination experiences throughout her life, her dissent in Gonzales likely would not have been as passionate or garnered as much national attention. 4 Despite the changed landscape today, Justice Ginsburg’s dissent in Gonzales laid a battle plan in the fight for women’s reproductive autonomy. 5

First Page

112

Recommended Citation

Songo Wawa, Justice Ginsburg's Journey to Dissents and Influence on Reproductive Rights, 26 U.D.C. L. Rev. 112 (2023).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.udc.edu/udclr/vol26/iss1/8