Not a law firm in the entire city of New York bid for my employment as a lawyer when I earned my degree.
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
In the '50s, too many women, even though they were very smart, they tried to make the man feel that he was brainier. It was a sad thing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the societal pressures women faced in the 1950s to downplay their intelligence to make men feel superior.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg highlights the unfortunate reality for many women in the 1950s who, despite their intelligence and capabilities, felt compelled to diminish their own worth and intellect in favor of maintaining male superiority. This dynamic not only hindered women's personal growth but also perpetuated a culture of inequality that discouraged women's empowerment and self-assertion. Ginsburg's statement serves as a critique of this societal expectation and an acknowledgment of the importance of valuing and recognizing women's contributions equally.
Themes
WomenIntelligenceEqualitySocietyGender
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about women's roles in history, this quote can illustrate the challenges women faced in achieving equality.
More from Ruth Bader Ginsburg
All quotes →If you want to influence people, you want them to accept your suggestions, you don't say, 'You don't know how to use the English language,' or 'How could you make that argument?' It will be welcomed much more if you have a gentle touch than if you are aggressive.
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
I try to teach through my opinions, through my speeches, how wrong it is to judge people on the basis of what they look like, color of their skin, whether they're men or women.
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
The worst times were the years I was alone. The image to the public entering the courtroom was eight men, of a certain size, and then this little woman sitting to the side. That was not a good image for the public to see.
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
A constitution, as important as it is, will mean nothing unless the people are yearning for liberty and freedom.
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
My resume showed membership on both the Harvard and Columbia Law Reviews, a credit impressive abroad where it was not generally known that Law Reviews were student-operated publications.
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
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