| Name | Ruth Bader Ginsburg |
| Notes | Although she did not serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in this timeline, Ginsburg's profound impact is still felt through her pioneering work |
| Impact | Established landmark legal precedents and inspired generations of women to pursue careers in law and public service |
| Education | Graduated from Girls' High School of Brooklyn |
| Known for | Advancing gender equality and women's rights |
| Occupation | Lawyer • Civil rights activist |
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American lawyer, jurist, and civil rights leader who dedicated her life to advocating for gender equality and women's rights. Though she did not serve on the U.S. Supreme Court as in our timeline, Ginsburg's legacy as a pioneering attorney and trailblazing community organizer had a profound and lasting impact on the women's rights movement in the United States.
Ginsburg was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish-American parents Celia and Nathan Bader. She attended the prestigious Girls' High School of Brooklyn, where she excelled academically and developed a deep passion for the law and social justice.
After graduating at the top of her class from Girls' High, Ginsburg enrolled at New York University, where she earned a bachelor's degree. She then went on to attend Brooklyn Law School, where she was one of only a handful of women in her class. Ginsburg graduated first in her class in 1954 with a Juris Doctor degree.
Following law school, Ginsburg began her legal career as a law clerk before joining a private practice specializing in civil procedure. However, her true calling soon became clear - fighting for women's rights and gender equality through the legal system.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Ginsburg emerged as a leading advocate for the women's rights movement. She litigated a series of groundbreaking cases that challenged long-standing laws and social norms that discriminated against women. Her victories in cases like Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld and Frontiero v. Richardson helped establish new legal precedents that outlawed sex-based discrimination and paved the way for greater gender parity.
Ginsburg also co-founded the Women's Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, where she served as the organization's general counsel. In this role, she spearheaded numerous legal challenges to discriminatory practices and policies, while also working to pass new state and federal laws protecting the rights of women.
Though Ginsburg did not ascend to the U.S. Supreme Court as she did in our timeline, her legacy as a pioneering advocate for women's rights is no less impactful. Her tireless efforts helped transform the legal landscape for women in the United States, opening up new educational and professional opportunities that were long denied to them.
Ginsburg's work also inspired and empowered generations of women to pursue careers in law, public service, and activism. She became an iconic figure in the women's rights movement, affectionately known as the "Notorious RBG" for her unyielding commitment to gender equality.
Even after her retirement from legal practice, Ginsburg remained a vocal champion for civil rights and social justice causes up until her death in 2020. Her life's work stands as a testament to the power of legal advocacy and community organizing to drive meaningful social change.
