Ruth Bader Ginsburg is undoubtedly an American hero who has changed the course of history, and the United States, for the better. On the Basis of Sex reminds America what women had to go through to get where they are today. It also shows just how awful the country was for women before people like Ginsburg came along. It portrays the now 85-year-old Justice in a very flattering light. The movie is powerful and inspiring, especially for the younger generation. It sheds new light on what the women’s rights movement is built upon and how change is engendered.
On the Basis of Sex, follows young Ginsburg (Felicity Jones), the second female justice of the United States Supreme Court, through her early career in law. As she makes her way through Harvard Law School and the world beyond as a young mother and as one of the only women in her class, Ginsburg struggles with sexism. However, her life takes a potential turn for the better when she takes a case on sex based discrimination.
Watching a woman succeed in a world stacked against her is the epitome of a success story, but what makes it even more touching is that it is based on a true one. Many people know of Justice Ginsburg, but On the Basis of Sex provides a deeper insight into what she had to go through to become “The Notorious RBG.”
Ginsburg takes on law school with incredible perseverance, succeeding despite being pushed down by the administrators. She graduates first in her class from both Harvard and Columbia law schools, but is denied a job at every law firm she applies to. Ginsburg is metaphorically beaten down at every possible opportunity, and her ability to get back up illustrates what the perfect American looks like. This is one main element that makes the story inspiring. Anyone could walk into this movie and, by the end, feel like they could conquer the world; her sheer will to succeed coupled with all the obstacles she overcame in her career touch nearly anybody. On the Basis of Sex displays many of the struggles women in America endured. Although sexism today may look different and may take different forms, the ingredients for change have stayed the same: a stubborn, motivated, resilient, hardworking hero. Let Ginsburg serve as an example of what can be achieved by just one person who takes to the law, works hard, and confronts the problem in a direct civil, and effective way. RBG is truly a hero.