She overcame discrimination — and helped others do the same.

No individual did more than Ruth Bader Ginsburg to transform the legal landscape for the better on matters involving gender. The history of American women is one of discrimination on the basis of sex, but not until 1970 did the Supreme Court find that such discrimination was unconstitutional. Its initial decisions were shaped by Ginsburg as the co-founder and litigation strategist of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project. During the 1970s, the project brought hundreds of cases challenging gender bias, and Ginsburg herself had five victories in landmark cases before the Supreme Court. She had the wisdom to represent male as well as female plaintiffs, which helped an all-male court understand the injustice of laws based on archaic gender stereotypes that restricted the roles of both sexes. After being appointed as the second woman to the Supreme Court in 1993, she authored many of the country’s landmark decisions and dissents involving gender in areas including educational and employment opportunities, and reproductive justice. Ginsburg’s inspiring life story in overcoming discrimination and health challenges has inspired millions of women. Her iconic status, memorialized on T-shirts, tea cups and tote bags testifies to a life lived greatly in pursuit of social justice. We are all in her debt.