I Asked Notorious RBG What She Thought About the #MeToo Movement – Here’s What She Said
As a Georgetown Women’s Law & Public Policy Fellow I had the opportunity to sip tea with RBG earlier this week as she answered questions about her life, the Supreme Court, and our favorite topic – the law.
As part of my work at the National Women’s Law Center, I hear stories of individuals being sexually harassed or assaulted by their health care providers nearly every day through the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund/Legal Network for Gender Equity. Sexual assault or harassment by a provider is not just wrong and devastating to patients – it is also unlawful sex discrimination in health care. And at NWLC we are working day in and day out to ensure that the #MeToo movement results in meaningful change.
That’s why I took advantage of the opportunity to ask Justice Ginsburg whether she thought the #MeToo movement would have a lasting impact on the law and how we deal with sex discrimination, like sexual harassment, moving forward.
Her response? “I hope so!”
But obviously, she had more to say than just that. Justice Ginsburg said she believes that the #MeToo movement is changing how lawyers and judges think about sexual harassment claims.
She also noted that lawyers across the country are taking on more sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination cases because of the #MeToo movement. And that’s important. As more people who have experienced sexual harassment and assault come forward and demand the justice they deserve, the more law and policy can work to protect individuals who are being subject to unlawful harassment and discrimination. In fact, since the #MeToo movement we’ve seen lawmakers across the country take steps to protect individuals and address the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.
Ginsburg’s response was especially important to me because I get to do some of the work I do at NWLC because RBG paved the way for us. Justice Ginsburg argued several of the most important women’s rights cases, advocating for gender equality and striking down laws that discriminated against individuals on the basis of sex. And she has continued to be a champion for women’s rights from the bench. It is in part because of her that we get to loudly and defiantly say, “Time’s Up!”
I think Justice Ginsburg has a lot of hope (like all of us do) that the #MeToo movement will create lasting change. And I’m really proud to be a part of that change here at NWLC.