You wouldn’t think of a Supreme Court Justice as being popular. Sure, they may get some news coverage during the confirmation hearings, but that’s generally it. Ruth Bader Ginsburg seems to have gotten a lot of attention in the movies lately. There was a documentary about her last year. She got a mention in Deadpool 2. She even had a cameo of sorts in The Lego Movie 2.
Before she was on the Supreme Court, she was a lawyer. Before she was a lawyer, she was a law student in a class of almost all men. She had to face the challenges one might expect. The dean of Harvard Law, Erwin Griswold, thought she was wasting a space that could have gone to a man. Once she graduated, she was offered all manner of excuses as to why she shouldn’t be hired. So, she’s relegated to teaching about law rather than practicing it.
At least she has a supportive husband. No, seriously. Marty Ginsburg brings her a case wherein Charles Moritz was denied a $296 deduction related to caring for his elderly mother. The reason? He’s a man who has never been married. Had he been a woman or a widower, he would have gotten the deduction, no problem.
Some might say that it’s not worth fighting. Even Moritz needs a little convincing. ($296 in the early 1970s would probably translate to about $1800-$2000 in today’s money.) To Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it’s about the principle. Moritz was denied a deduction on the basis of sex. That’s not right. Winning this case would set a precedent for other, similar cases. No pressure. Right?
Well, the other thing she has going for her is actual skill. She doesn’t have the experience, but her husband is willing to help her. She also has another lawyer helping her, which makes for a strong team. We get the fumbles and setbacks and everything. In the end, the good guys win and Mr. Moritz gets his deduction.
The movie does a good job of showcasing Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I think this has to do with balancing her with the supporting characters. If you focus too much on the main character, it can become too intense. If you try to work in too many additional characters, it can become a circus. Instead, the movie focuses on the story and how Ginsburg had to work that much harder because she was a woman. (She not only did her own coursework at Harvard, but helped with Marty’s when he was sick.)
I’ve often wondered if the sexism was really that bad. In this case, I’m inclined to think so. I know that lines are put in for the sake of storytelling, but there was a time when women weren’t welcome in law. When Griswald has a dinner for women, he almost seems aware of the sexism. He asks the women why they would want to take a man’s place. It should come as no surprise that she eventually transferred to Columbia.
It’s hard to believe that something like this went on except that it still does. (How can you graduate first in your class and still not be able to find a job in your field?) I’d say that maybe husbands and boyfriends would be dragged to see the movie except that it does have a popular and powerful main character.
It also does a good job of illustrating the disparity. When you’re the beneficiary of discrimination, it’s easy to justify it and put it out of mind. It’s easy to say, “Oh, yeah. The wives would be jealous,” when you’re saying it to someone who has no recourse. There is a scene with a cat call, but the movie does do more than that. I don’t think this is a movie you should feel like you were dragged to.
Before she was on the Supreme Court, she was a lawyer. Before she was a lawyer, she was a law student in a class of almost all men. She had to face the challenges one might expect. The dean of Harvard Law, Erwin Griswold, thought she was wasting a space that could have gone to a man. Once she graduated, she was offered all manner of excuses as to why she shouldn’t be hired. So, she’s relegated to teaching about law rather than practicing it.
At least she has a supportive husband. No, seriously. Marty Ginsburg brings her a case wherein Charles Moritz was denied a $296 deduction related to caring for his elderly mother. The reason? He’s a man who has never been married. Had he been a woman or a widower, he would have gotten the deduction, no problem.
Some might say that it’s not worth fighting. Even Moritz needs a little convincing. ($296 in the early 1970s would probably translate to about $1800-$2000 in today’s money.) To Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it’s about the principle. Moritz was denied a deduction on the basis of sex. That’s not right. Winning this case would set a precedent for other, similar cases. No pressure. Right?
Well, the other thing she has going for her is actual skill. She doesn’t have the experience, but her husband is willing to help her. She also has another lawyer helping her, which makes for a strong team. We get the fumbles and setbacks and everything. In the end, the good guys win and Mr. Moritz gets his deduction.
The movie does a good job of showcasing Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I think this has to do with balancing her with the supporting characters. If you focus too much on the main character, it can become too intense. If you try to work in too many additional characters, it can become a circus. Instead, the movie focuses on the story and how Ginsburg had to work that much harder because she was a woman. (She not only did her own coursework at Harvard, but helped with Marty’s when he was sick.)
I’ve often wondered if the sexism was really that bad. In this case, I’m inclined to think so. I know that lines are put in for the sake of storytelling, but there was a time when women weren’t welcome in law. When Griswald has a dinner for women, he almost seems aware of the sexism. He asks the women why they would want to take a man’s place. It should come as no surprise that she eventually transferred to Columbia.
It’s hard to believe that something like this went on except that it still does. (How can you graduate first in your class and still not be able to find a job in your field?) I’d say that maybe husbands and boyfriends would be dragged to see the movie except that it does have a popular and powerful main character.
It also does a good job of illustrating the disparity. When you’re the beneficiary of discrimination, it’s easy to justify it and put it out of mind. It’s easy to say, “Oh, yeah. The wives would be jealous,” when you’re saying it to someone who has no recourse. There is a scene with a cat call, but the movie does do more than that. I don’t think this is a movie you should feel like you were dragged to.
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