Tag Archives: Feminism

Books, Politics

Books to read right now about the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Remembering the legal lion and champion of women

A historical, legal, cultural figure and feminist icon has left us.  Friday, September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87 due to complications from metastatic cancer of the pancreas. 

Ginsberg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August, 10, 1993, becoming the second female justice of four to be confirmed to the court. Ruth spent a considerable part of her legal career devoted to advocating for the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights. 

With her many accomplishments in her life, her legacy and life’s work includes many book by and about her work and her life. Below we’ve curated and chosen our top six recommendations to learn more about and appreciate the life of the late Justice. We have provided additional information about our book picks from the publisher, as well as where to purchase if interested to help independent bookstores. To see even more books on RGB click here.

Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law

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This remarkable book presents a unique portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, drawing on more than twenty years of conversations with Jeffrey Rosen, starting in the 1990s and continuing through the Trump era. Rosen, a veteran legal journalist, scholar, and president of the National Constitution Center, shares with us the justice’s observations on a variety of topics, and her intellect, compassion, sense of humor, and humanity shine through. The affection they have for each other as friends is apparent in their banter and in their shared love for the Constitution–and for opera.

In Conversations with RBG, Justice Ginsburg discusses the future of Roe v. Wade, her favorite dissents, the cases she would most like to see overruled, the #MeToo movement, how to be a good listener, how to lead a productive and compassionate life, and of course the future of the Supreme Court itself. These frank exchanges illuminate the steely determination, self-mastery, and wit that have inspired Americans of all ages to embrace the woman known to all as “Notorious RBG.”

Whatever the topic, Justice Ginsburg always has something interesting–and often surprising–to say. And while few of us will ever have the opportunity to chat with her face-to-face, Jeffrey Rosen brings us by her side as never before. Conversations with RBG is a deeply felt portrait of an American hero. Click to See “Conversations with RBG” and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg never asked for fame–she has only tried to make the world a little better and a little freer.

But nearly a half-century into her career, something funny happened to the octogenarian: she won the internet. Across America, people who weren’t even born when Ginsburg first made her name as a feminist pioneer are tattooing themselves with her face, setting her famously searing dissents to music, and making viral videos in tribute.

Notorious RBG, inspired by the Tumblr that amused the Justice herself and brought to you by its founder and an award-winning feminist journalist, is more than just a love letter. It draws on intimate access to Ginsburg’s family members, close friends, colleagues, and clerks, as well an interview with the Justice herself. An original hybrid of reported narrative, annotated dissents, rare archival photos and documents, and illustrations, the book tells a never-before-told story of an unusual and transformative woman who transcends generational divides. As the country struggles with the unfinished business of gender equality and civil rights, Ginsburg stands as a testament to how far we can come with a little chutzpah. Click Here to See “Notorious RBG” and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

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Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—in the first picture book about her life—as she proves that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable!

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere.

This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG, tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements.Click Here to See “I Dissent” and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life

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In this large, comprehensive, revelatory biography, Jane De Hart explores the central experiences that crucially shaped Ginsburg’s passion for justice, her advocacy for gender equality, her meticulous jurisprudence: her desire to make We the People more united and our union more perfect. At the heart of her story and abiding beliefs–her Jewish background. Tikkun olam, the Hebrew injunction to “repair the world,” with its profound meaning for a young girl who grew up during the Holocaust and World War II. We see the influence of her mother, Celia Amster Bader, whose intellect inspired her daughter’s feminism, insisting that Ruth become independent, as she witnessed her mother coping with terminal cervical cancer (Celia died the day before Ruth, at seventeen, graduated from high school).

From Ruth’s days as a baton twirler at Brooklyn’s James Madison High School, to Cornell University, Harvard and Columbia Law Schools (first in her class), to being a law professor at Rutgers University (one of the few women in the field and fighting pay discrimination), hiding her second pregnancy so as not to risk losing her job; founding the Women’s Rights Law Reporter, writing the brief for the first case that persuaded the Supreme Court to strike down a sex-discriminatory state law, then at Columbia (the law school’s first tenured female professor); becoming the director of the women’s rights project of the ACLU, persuading the Supreme Court in a series of decisions to ban laws that denied women full citizenship status with men. Click Here to See ” Ruth Bader Ginsburg – A Life” and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World

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The author of the celebrated Victory tells the fascinating story of the intertwined lives of Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the first and second women to serve as Supreme Court justices.

The relationship between Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg—Republican and Democrat, Christian and Jew, western rancher’s daughter and Brooklyn girl—transcends party, religion, region, and culture. Strengthened by each other’s presence, these groundbreaking judges, the first and second to serve on the highest court in the land, have transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women.

Linda Hirshman’s dual biography includes revealing stories of how these trailblazers fought for their own recognition in a male-dominated profession—battles that would ultimately benefit every American woman. She also makes clear how these two justices have shaped the legal framework of modern feminism, including employment discrimination, abortion, affirmative action, sexual harassment, and many other issues crucial to women’s lives. Click Here to See “Sisters in Law” and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

The Way Women Are: Transformative Opinions and Dissents by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime defying notions about “the way women are” and, in the process, has become a cultural icon as well as a profoundly influential jurist. This collection of some of her most significant opinions and dissents illuminates the intellect, humor, and toughness that have made “the Notorious R.B.G.” a hero to many.

Included are Justice Ginsburg’s majority opinions in United States v. Virginia (1996), and Sessions v. Morales-Santana (2017); her concurrence in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt (2016); a selection from the Court’s 2018-2019 term; and some of the justice’s most famous dissents, such as those in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire (2007), Gonzales v. Carhart (2007), and Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014). Also included are an introduction and explanatory notes that help make these writings accessible to a nonlegal audience. Click Here to See “The Way Women Are” and help Independent Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

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Entertainment, Movies, Tech

Golden Globe Nominations: Hollywood Foreign Press Overlooks Female Filmmakers in 77th Awards

Photo Collage / Lynxotic – Adobe Stock

Diversity Theme Crops Up Once Again in Hollywood Awards Season

The 77th Golden Globe nominations are finally revealed, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has made a few bold choices when it comes to their top picks for film and television from 2019. To no one’s surprise on the television side, Netflix’s “The Crown” and “Unbelievable” led the race along with HBO’s “Chernobyl,” each program receiving four nominations. Likewise, when it comes to film, we had the usual suspects in each category; “The Irishman,” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” respectively nominated for best drama and best comedy; Joaquin Phoenix and Brad Pitt respectively for best actor and best supporting actor; Scorsese and Tarantino for best director; “Frozen II” for best animated feature; and many more noms that don’t raise any eyebrows.

What is more conspicuous, however, is what was left out of the running this year. While Christian Bale received a nomination for his performance in “Ford v. Ferrari,” his co-star Matt Damon was stubbed. Likewise, right on the heels of Adam Sandler’s NBR Award for “Uncut Gems,” the actor was ignored by the HFPA. Even De Niro did not get a leading nomination for “The Irishman,” while Joe Pesci and Al Pacino both got supporting nominations. Jordan Peele was similarly left out of the best director and both best picture categories for “Us,” as was Tom Hooper for “Cats.” Meanwhile, HBO’s innovative new “Watchmen” series also missed the cut.

The most egregious absence comes on a larger, more systemic scale, though. In all of the nominations for best director and best picture, there is not a single female filmmaker on the ballot. And this is a year when women made a number of quality films.

Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women” came out this month. It is a compelling film focusing on the relationship between women and art, and despite receiving high praise from critics and audiences, it got little love from the HFPA. It’s only nomination came in the Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture category for Saoirse Ronan’s performance. The same situation occurred for Lorene Scafaria’s “Hustlers.” Even though the film made a riot at the Toronto Film Festival, its only nom was for Angelina Jolie as Best Supporting Actress.

Moreover, although this was an enormously successful year for Netflix—earning four Best Picture nominations and “Marriage Story” achieving the most recognition of any title—the HFPA overlooked the streaming service’s female led productions. Particularly, it ignored Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us,” a highly important race-focused miniseries about the Central Park Five. Directed by a black woman, this commended show was completely shut out, not earning a single nomination in any category.

Glass Ceiling Not So Easy to Break

Adding insult to injury, several of the most nominated pictures in this year’s running are not just man-made, but they are also highly man-centered. The two most talked about nominees, “The Irishman” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” are practically devoid of complex female characters. Through their respective focuses on the mafia and Hollywood stardom, the two films portray distinct images of patriarchal institutions. The same goes for “Joker,” which paints mental illness through a jadedly masculine lens, and “1917,” which spotlights wartime fraternity.

Ultimately, not much room is made for feminine movies like “Portrait of a Lady On Fire” from director Céline Sciamma, which only got nominated in the Forgiven Language category. Set in 1770 France, this underrated yet captivating period piece employs a nearly all-women cast to tell a uniquely female story. It delves into sorority, lesbianism, art, and feminism to share two ladies’ experiences during a highly patriarchal time in history. Sciamma getting ignored in the best director category could almost be forgiven if it weren’t for the brilliant cinematography, costumes, sets, and performances that she brought to her work—validating the film as a powerful art piece, and not just a piece of feminist propaganda.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement and remaining concerns about gender inequality in Hollywood and beyond, it is imperative that female filmmakers get the recognition they deserve. Of course, the HFPA choses its nominations not based on politics, but on artistry and talent. Nevertheless, just as those in the studio executive chairs ought to start listening to broader ideas, those in the critics chairs should also learn to see the value in female-centered releases and consider feminine themes on the same level as the masculine themes that we’ve been applauding in movies for the past seventy-seven years.

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Breaking News, News, Tech, Travel

Historic All Female Spacewalk and New Artemis Space Suits Unveiled by NASA

Photo / NASA

NASA Just Made ‘Her-story’ …

On October 18th, this particular spacewalk became a monumental one because it’s “breaking the galactic glass ceiling” by being the first one conducted entirely by women.

On the 221st spacewalk in support of the space station assembly, NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will be replacing a battery/discharge unit that failed to activate on the space station’s exterior. This particular unit is one of many that regulates the solar energy collection charge put into the new batteries that were just installed on October 11th. Thankfully, the unit’s activation failure didn’t hinder station operations or endanger the crew, but once this unit is replaced, the new batteries will be able to provide increased station power.

This milestone, along the road to bringing the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024 through NASA’s Artemis Lunar Exploration Program, is sure to inspire students everywhere, especially young girls who’ve always dreamed of becoming astronauts. Now, they could see themselves on the way to the moon, and perhaps, beyond.

More updates about the spacewalk and as well as additional information about the International Space Station can be found on NASA’s blog.

Newly Revealed Spacesuits for Artemis Moon Mission Set for 2024

Two suits were unveiled; one for transit “Orion Crew Survival Suit (OCSS),” also known as a flight or launch and entry suit, and a suit for moon-based activities (Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit), called the ‘xEMU’ variant. The Orion suit is lighter and made to be worn during take-off and landing; the suit will be depressurized when in use but can provide protection in the event of accidental depressurization, as well as thermal and radiation protection. The xEMU suit is made to withstand and survive temperatures that range from -250- and +250-degrees Fahrenheit. 

The design’s greatest feature is that of increased flexibility and mobility, allowing astronauts to actually “moon walk” more easily compared to older model suits that was more of a “bunny hop” on Apollo mission with Buzz Aldrin. 

Another feature is its inclusive nature, the suit is made to accommodate any sizing and body type. 

Photo / NASA

Artemis and The Next Era of Space Exploration

Artemis comes from the name of the Greek sun god Apollo’s lunar twin sister, and this next mission is justly named after the Greek goddess of the moon.

The upcoming mission to the Moon represents new galactic grounds to be forged, including the first woman on the Moon and American astronauts’ first step onto the Moon’s South Pole, which is a location that no human has ever been before. The accumulated knowledge from the Artemis mission will be used to establish more sustainable missions and to be one step closer to sending humans to Mars. 

NASA plans to launch two missions prior to the Moon landing to test their deep space systems.  The Artemis 1 is set to launch in 2020 with no crew. The Artemis 2 with an on-board crew is targeted for 2022. And finally, the Artemis 3 is planned for 2024 with the first woman and next man on the Moon. 

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies

‘Paradise Hills’: Costumes Kill in Feminist Dystopia

Video
https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/samuel_goldwyn/paradise-hills/paradise-hills-trailer-1_h1080p.mov
Official Trailer for “Paradise Hills”

“Paradise Hills” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. After the festival, Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired it for distribution. 

Samuel Goldwyn Films Brings Feminist Thriller From Sundance To Theaters on October 25th

The movie touts a novice creative team but an impressive cast of young actresses. Behind the camera is director Alice Waddington and behind the story are screenwriters Brian DeLeeuw and Nacho Vigalondo, none of whom have many noticeable credits to their names. The cast, however, has a few more familiar faces. It features Emma Roberts as the main character alongside Awkwafina, Danielle Macdonald, Milla Jovoich, and Eiza González.

The storyline focuses on a dystopian-like boarding school on an island. Young women wake up on this island and find themselves part of a social experiment, one that emotionally reforms them into becoming conformant members of their surroundings. Beneath the school’s idyllic surface, however, there is something threatening at hand, putting the girls in grave danger.

Mediocre Script, but Set & Costume Designs Save the Day

It sounds fascinating enough—almost like a modern YA-thriller rendition of the old British TV show, “The Prisoner.” Unfortunately, the script received heavy criticism at Sundance for having uncanny dialogue and numerous plot holes. What saved the film in most critics’ eyes were the set and costume designs. 

Laia Colet and Sol Saban respectfully did the film’s set design and decoration, and Alberto Valcárcel created the costumes. Together, they built a colorful world for the characters to live in. Aesthetically, it is somewhat Hunger Games-like with flamboyant outfits, unique hairstyles, and a constant futuristic feeling of lavishness. It is more than enough to grip the audience from a visual perspective.

A Win for Feminism, But Will its Delivery Suffice?

Another area where the film received some praise was for its feminism. While the script may have been a bit hollow, the female characters have an impressive degree of complexity. Critics recognized that the women in “Paradise Hills” went beyond simple archetypes, and offered an array of original voices. Given the film industry’s current climate with #MeToo and its systemic underrepresentation of female characters on screen, it is important to see this kind of depth given to a primarily female cast, especially under the influence of a female director and in a genre that is far from a chick-flick.

However, despite whatever political angles one takes or how progressive a movie is behind the scenes, films must speak for themselves as pieces of art and entertainment. If “Paradise Hills” fails on those fronts, then its more powerful layers may go unnoticed, and sadly, it may end up forgotten despite its best qualities.

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