Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies aged 87
Tributes poured in for the trailblazing feminist and legal expert who died of metastatic pancreatic cancer
US Supreme Court judge and trailblazing feminist Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died aged 87.
Ginsburg, a liberal judge venerated by many on the American left, died of metastatic pancreatic cancer, the court announced on Friday.
Justice Ginsburg, who was Jewish, was a hero to many in Hollywood and following her death, celebrities were quick to pay tribute while voicing concerns about who could replace her in the Supreme Court.
Considered by many in the US to be a feminist icon, Ms Ginsburg was the second woman to be nominated to the highest court in the country and spent much of her career calling for gender equality.
A household name in the US, she was an unlikely cult figure among many young people, earning the nickname The Notorious RBG, inspired by the rapper Notorious BIG.
Her early life was adapted into a 2018 film titled On The Basis Of Sex, starring British actress Felicity Jones in the lead role and Armie Hammer as her late husband Martin.
Her death may give Donald Trump the chance to announce a more conservative replacement judge on the Supreme Court bench ahead of November’s election, a move likely to have a significant impact on US politics.
The Supreme Court is crucial in the US as its nine members can hold the final say on key issues such as abortion, gun control and healthcare.
Celebrities were quick to pay tribute to the trailblazing feminist, with Comedian Sarah Silverman saying: “RIP RBG. Gutted. Sad. Grateful for all she did. And very very scared.”
Julie Cohen co-directed the 2018 documentary RBG and shared her brief tribute on Twitter.
“WHAT A LOSS,” she said. Cohen later posted a picture of her and her RBG co-director Betsy West with the subject of the film, writing: “Surely the smartest and toughest person I’ll ever have the privilege to know. Rest in Peace, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
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