RBG’s Marriage Was Iconic Too… Not Just Her Work

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg or RBG as she was known to the public died after a long and strenuous battle with cancer. She left a long and lasting legacy as an advocate for gender equality and women’s rights, and she’ll be remembered as an iconic fighter. Both in her public and private life.
But at the same time, she built a reputation of being not just a staunch liberal, but also a moderate judge who favored paradigmatic-ally liberal views of the law. And if you made an effort to watch On The Basis Of Sex, you’ll get a glimpse of all that. A slight glimpse, but still. Admittedly not the best biopic in existence, the 2018 movie did give us a scattered and uneven look on how the career of Justice Ginsburg unfolded. From the mid 50’s when she was a Harvard law student all the iconic Moritz v. Commissioner Case from the ’70s.
However, her marriage to Martin Ginsburg deserved a lot more credit there. Why you might ask? Because it was unprecedented, to say the least. At least for the 50’s when the divide between the men and women in the household was very clear and written in stone. Men went to work, attended cigar filled, whiskey-soaked dinner parties, while women stayed at home and took care of the household. It was basically Mad Men but in real life.
But Ginsberg’s marriage was different. Very different. One might say, they were ahead of their time. They supported each other, they cared for each other, and they encouraged each other. She took classes for him while Martin was recuperating from testicular cancer. She even typed notes for him early into the night. On the other hand, he hated her cooking but never even said a word, and instead took over cooking in the Ginsberg household. And childbearing, and cleaning…. And everything in between. Later on, he lobbied for her wife in order to secure the nomination for the Supreme Court. Sure the Ginsburg’s shaped the history as we know it, but their marriage did that too. And they paved the way for so many couples to come.
I too longed to have a marriage like the Ginsberg’s. And in many ways I do. I just didn’t realized it until very recently. Sure I too was raised in the patriarchal way, like so many others of my generation. And my mother abandoned did her studies and her career to be a stay at home housewife. Much like Ruth’s mom did. However, looking at my mother’s mistakes I am determined not to repeat them. My goal, thanks to Miss Ginsburg is to be equal to my husband. Sure we’ve chosen different career paths, but I try to support him in equal measures.
And yes, he supports me as well. Not once I’ve heard a bad word out of his mouth about anything related to my work. And I can’t tell you enough about the times he’s been a constant source of support in my work. For instance, he’s been a gamer since he was 5 and my current job requires to have an extensive knowledge in the gaming industry. So, he’s my living breathing encyclopedia about every possible game in existence. He also supports my own game-plays with guidance and respect, and yeah. He’s the best. But I always say that the true testament of seeing the true character of a person is in the times of adversary. Of pain, misery and despair. So, he’s been a true rock in those times as well. Not gonna lie. I’ve quit oppressive and toxic jobs before and he didn’t say a word. I’ve been laid off unexpectedly and again. He’s been nothing but supportive and caring husband in those times too. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been broke, and he paid for the meals, the bills or the car repairs.
And yes… At the moment I earn more money than him, and yet not once have I heard a bad word, a snarky remark or envy out of him. Nope. He’s actually glowing and bragging to his colleagues about his hard-working wife of his. It surprised me too, to be honest, but I really lucked out when I picked him.
Marty Ginsburg was the first boy I met who cared that I had a brain,” she said, and it made a difference for so many women out there. I’m lucky I found a man that cares that I have a brain too, I said to myself, just recently. Women like Ruth, who had the brains, but also the guts to change the world. However, I don’t think they would have made it if they didn’t have each other. Sometimes a strong and supportive partner is all you need. And much like Ruth, I found one that’s hella strong and supportive. I really lucked out, ladies.