‘On the basis of Sex’ confirms RBG is a rockstar

“An unlikely rockstar,” is how my dad referred to Ruth Bader Ginsburg (not dismissively, just observantly.) And it’s true: in a world that gave us Justin Bieber, the hype behind a Supreme Court Justice seems unlikely. Ginsburg’s mark on women’s equality was largely unnoticed by popular culture for decades. However, her rockstar quality plays out on screen in On the Basis of Sex.

I saw the move with a group of girls from my book (wine) club.

Warning for all you feminists: Marty’s dreamy blue eyes and baby-holding and total support of his wife’s career is a tad distracting from the feminist plotline.

As women and mothers, we have grown up with the idea that “girls can be anything we want to be!” We can be stay-at-home mothers. We can be Presidents of companies. We can start a company. We can work for a company. Any company. Obviously, we should have these options, right?

This movie brings home the chilling fact: our choices are new. The movie brings this to life. Our opportunities are just a few decades old, and while we have sooooo much work to do… it’s pretty incredible one woman was able to reverse hundreds and thousands of years of discrimination in a few pointed arguments that won landmark cases. Of course, she had this platform because the women’s movement was making strides toppling cultural norms.

Yet, one woman had a vision. One woman had a voice. She still (thankfully) has that voice. And that is why she is a rockstar.

Also: the Notorious RBG is definitely worth reading.