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A review by jakobmarleymommy
Notorious RBG Young Readers' Edition: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Shana Knizhnik, Irin Carmon
5.0
I've know for as long as I can remember that RBG is an important woman. Second woman to sit on the Supreme Court, champion of gender equality, and a person with an unstoppable work ethic and intelligence on a level that I can't comprehend. What I didn't realize is just HOW amazing her accomplishments are and what an amazing amount of work she's done to improve the lives of those who experience inequality.
I won't summarize the book; that's already been done in the publisher's excerpt. Instead I'll share some of things that really touched me about this beautifully written account of someone who, in my opinion, is one of the most important people alive today.
RGB's work ethic is astonishing. She doesn't just work hard because that's part of what one does as a Supreme Court Justice, but because she knows the importance of the work she's doing. A mistake could potentially impact millions of Americans and their ability to have autonomy over their reproductive lives, or keep women subverted in their traditional role of being subservient (and uncomplaining) in their acknowledgment to being inferior to men. As a woman who has significantly benefitted from RBG's work, I never really understood the battle women had to fight to sit at the table with men. I have never felt discriminated against in the workplace based on my gender. What I failed to realize before reading this book is that I've never felt that discrimination precisely because RGB did the hard work and blazed a new trail for women. It can be difficult to appreciate that which you haven't experienced. This book gave me a rear-view mirror to see the struggles that so many women have fought through to give me what felt like an equal seat at the conference room table. I assumed that the days of gender discrimination were far behind us; if it hasn't happened to me, then it doesn't exist; right? But I'd forgotten that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. And I also failed to consider that just because I didn't FEEL discriminated against, doesn't mean that I wasn't. Within the workplace (or at least the ones I worked at) information about pay and benefits were tightly secured; as they should be. But without that knowledge, how does one know that they are being discriminated against? I don't have a solution to this issue, but because of RGB, I'm really thinking about it now, and well beyond the context of work. Do I pay more for services because I'm a woman "who doesn't know anything about cars/lawncare/manly object of choice? If I am being discriminated against in this way, where would I even begin to address it? I've no clue; but thankfully RBG does, and she has addressed these legal cases over and over again.
RGB and her husband, Marty, were truly and in so many ways, a couple years ahead of their time. They believed in giving each other the time and the opportunity to achieve their professional goals. They both left jobs to give the other a chance to pursue new positions. They achieved an admirable work/life balance, despite both of them have intensely demanding careers. Most of all, though, is that they were in love; a true romance. So few have the "luxury" of maintaining a romantic love throughout their marriage, with children and professional demands making life a seemingly endless routine. RGB and Marty were different.
This book should be on a high school required reading list. RBG is literally a life changing woman, and this beautiful book about her reflects that so elegantly. RBG is my new hero.
I won't summarize the book; that's already been done in the publisher's excerpt. Instead I'll share some of things that really touched me about this beautifully written account of someone who, in my opinion, is one of the most important people alive today.
RGB's work ethic is astonishing. She doesn't just work hard because that's part of what one does as a Supreme Court Justice, but because she knows the importance of the work she's doing. A mistake could potentially impact millions of Americans and their ability to have autonomy over their reproductive lives, or keep women subverted in their traditional role of being subservient (and uncomplaining) in their acknowledgment to being inferior to men. As a woman who has significantly benefitted from RBG's work, I never really understood the battle women had to fight to sit at the table with men. I have never felt discriminated against in the workplace based on my gender. What I failed to realize before reading this book is that I've never felt that discrimination precisely because RGB did the hard work and blazed a new trail for women. It can be difficult to appreciate that which you haven't experienced. This book gave me a rear-view mirror to see the struggles that so many women have fought through to give me what felt like an equal seat at the conference room table. I assumed that the days of gender discrimination were far behind us; if it hasn't happened to me, then it doesn't exist; right? But I'd forgotten that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. And I also failed to consider that just because I didn't FEEL discriminated against, doesn't mean that I wasn't. Within the workplace (or at least the ones I worked at) information about pay and benefits were tightly secured; as they should be. But without that knowledge, how does one know that they are being discriminated against? I don't have a solution to this issue, but because of RGB, I'm really thinking about it now, and well beyond the context of work. Do I pay more for services because I'm a woman "who doesn't know anything about cars/lawncare/manly object of choice? If I am being discriminated against in this way, where would I even begin to address it? I've no clue; but thankfully RBG does, and she has addressed these legal cases over and over again.
RGB and her husband, Marty, were truly and in so many ways, a couple years ahead of their time. They believed in giving each other the time and the opportunity to achieve their professional goals. They both left jobs to give the other a chance to pursue new positions. They achieved an admirable work/life balance, despite both of them have intensely demanding careers. Most of all, though, is that they were in love; a true romance. So few have the "luxury" of maintaining a romantic love throughout their marriage, with children and professional demands making life a seemingly endless routine. RGB and Marty were different.
This book should be on a high school required reading list. RBG is literally a life changing woman, and this beautiful book about her reflects that so elegantly. RBG is my new hero.