Challenging the Status Quo: The Lessons of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in On the Basis of Sex
- Priscila Z Vendramini Mezzena
- Mar 5
- 2 min read
Published on 04/03/2025 in Empowered Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/empowered-vol-442026-march-2026-women-powerup-network-admin-46hpf
When Ruth “Kiki” Ginsburg entered Harvard Law School in 1956, women were still a rare presence in legal education. The film On the Basis of Sex portrays some of the many challenges Ruth faced throughout her professional journey simply for being a woman.
At Harvard, her class included around 500 male students and only nine women. The dean of the law school, Erwin Griswold, reportedly invited the female students to dinner and asked them why they were at Harvard Law School “taking the place of a man.”
When Ruth’s husband, also a lawyer, accepted a job in New York, she requested permission to complete her final year at Columbia Law School, but the request was denied. She ultimately transferred to Columbia, where she graduated in 1959 tied for first in her class.
Despite her exceptional academic record, Ruth faced multiple rejections when applying to law firms. She began her career in academia, becoming a professor at Rutgers Law School in 1963.
A few years later, a pivotal opportunity emerged. Ruth identified a case of gender discrimination against a man, Charles Moritz, who was denied a tax deduction for hiring a caregiver for his mother because he was single. The law granted the benefit only to women or previously married men.
Ruth recognized in this case not only an individual injustice but also a strategic opportunity to challenge laws based on gender stereotypes. Together with Marty Ginsburg and Melvin Wulf from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), she represented Moritz in the case Moritz v. Commissioner, arguing that the rule violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The case succeeded and marked the first time a provision of the Internal Revenue Code was declared unconstitutional due to gender discrimination. Decades later, in 1993, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, becoming one of the most influential jurists in American history.
Key Lessons
Turning obstacles into purpose – Ruth transformed experiences of discrimination into motivation to promote structural change within the legal system.
Recognizing the power of partnerships – Her journey also highlights the importance of alliances. Marty Ginsburg’s support and belief in her purpose played an important role in opening doors and opportunities.
Excellence as a tool for transformation – Ruth’s deep legal expertise allowed her to challenge established laws and build arguments capable of generating systemic change.
The courage to question the status quo – Many inequalities persist simply because they are not challenged. Ruth showed that progress begins when someone dares to question what has long been considered “normal.”Sometimes moving in faith means challenging what has long been considered unchangeable. That is how Ruth began to reshape history.
Sometimes moving in faith means challenging what has long been considered unchangeable. That is how Ruth began to reshape history.
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