How Ruth Bader Ginsburg Helped Women Gain Control of Their Money & Financial Freedom

The recent death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has made me reflect on how she was a champion for women’s rights. She fought against discrimination that women faced in the workplace, at financial institutions, and much more. Before she was a judge, she was a litigator who argued that women can’t be discriminated against just for the simple fact that they are a woman. Sounds simple enough, right? Her work helped changed thousands or local and state laws in the US. She has an amazing legacy and I wanted to use this post to go over some important ways that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has helped women in the US gain control of their money and gain more economic freedom.

She Helped Women Have the Ability to Sign a Mortgage Without the Presence of a Man

Imagine you’re a woman who has worked diligently to save 20% for the down payment of a home. You start to search for houses, finally find the one that you want, apply for a mortgage loan with a bank, and on the signing day find out that you can’t sign the mortgage to purchase the house that you want. And why? Because you’re a woman, and a man has to co-sign with you. This is insane to think about now but a very real thing not too long ago. Imagine having to depend on a husband (if you had one), father, or another male family member to be present and co-sign with you in order to buy a house even if you HAVE THE MONEY!!! This clearly led to women being dependent on men and was clearly sexist but was just accepted as a part of living in a ‘man’s world’. As a woman, I can’t imagine living in a world like this, and I’m very thankful for the work that Ruth Bader Ginsburg did to get rid of this patriarchal necessity.

She Helped Women Open a Bank Account Without a Male Co-signer

Are you seeing a pattern yet? Not only were women not allowed to purchase a house using a mortgage decades ago, but they also couldn’t even have their own bank account without it being connected to a man. Imagine being a woman in the 1940s or 1950s who works in a factory or department store, puts in her 40-hour workweek, and can’t even open up a bank account in her own name. Imagine putting your blood, sweat, and tears into earning money (and being paid less than a man) just to not be allowed to open up your own bank account because your sex happens to be female. I personally have six bank accounts and can’t imagine now being able to open them and deposit my hard-earned money without my husband co-signing and proving my worth for me. Even today many women sadly depend on a partner to get access to money and their own bank account can give them some security, independence, and the ability to leave a dangerous situation.

She Helped Women Have the Right to Be Pregnant & Have Kids While Working

Not all women choose to work after having a baby, and that’s fine. However, imagine living in a world where you have a baby and your employer tells you that you can’t go back to work. Or, worse yet, you become pregnant and your manager finds out and immediately fires you because you can’t work when you are a mother. Phew. This one really triggered me. According to the US Census Bureau, nearly 30% of women in the workforce are working mothers. Before Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for women to be pregnant and have children while working without being discriminated against, working mothers would all have to stay home. They wouldn’t have to choose between going back to work or being a stay at home mother, the choice would be made for them. Almost all of the mothers in my family and friend circle still work and if I ever have children, I will choose to do the same. Employment not only helps bring income into a household but gives someone a sense of purpose, helps them feel like they belong to a team and are working towards a common goal.

In Conclusion

I’m even more grateful for the rights that women have thanks to the difficult and groundbreaking work of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Without her diligent work, I wouldn’t be able to have my own bank accounts, buy a house, or be able to choose to work after having a child. Without all of the above, women would still have an increasingly more difficult time gaining control of their money, choosing their own housing, and advancing their careers without the fear of a pregnancy throwing them off of the corporate ladder. Women wouldn’t be able to gain financial freedom without the groundbreaking work of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.