RIP Ruth Bader Ginsburg, You Showed Our Little Girls How To Be Awesome

Supreme court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, passed away today at the age of 87 surrounded by her loved ones.

She was an icon and a hero to men and women, and she taught us so much. Mostly she taught us that women are amazing and awesome and that fighting for equality, justice, and what you believe in is a pursuit worthy of dedicating your life to.

She didn’t focus on the fact that in the last two years she’s had multiple surgeries to remove her cancerous nodes. Instead she focused on her work. On knowing that her briefs, the things she said and did as a Supreme Court Justice were words an entire country would live by.

Many say she should have retired years ago, celebrated her time with her family and friends, looking on back what she accomplished, but instead, she chose to look forward, on what she could accomplish. And that’s what makes her so amazing.

She was one of only nine women in her Harvard Law class and even though she ended up transferring to Columbia and becoming the top ranked student in her class she still had trouble finding a law firm willing to hire a woman.

She’s had a full career for ever being appointed to the supreme court. She was behind the ACLU Women’s project, Columbia’s first tenured law professor, all while raising a family.

Oh, and she fought hard for women’s rights. Equality was one of her most important arguments.

She will be missed.

See, girls… you really can do it all.