Justice Ginsburg: A 'Great Diva,' or Milli Vanilli?

Why you might not want to go out for karaoke with Justice Ginsburg.

My expertise to address this topic may not be clear. For truth be told, I am ill-equipped to break out in song. My grade school music teacher labeled me a sparrow, not a robin, and instructed me to just mouth the words. Still, in my dreams I can be a great diva.

— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, speaking on the subject of law and opera in a recent appearance at DePaul University.

(More about RBG’s remarks, after the jump.)

If Justice Ginsburg’s “diva” dream sounds familiar, it should. In a radio interview back in February, RBG confessed that if she could be anything in the world, she would be a “great diva.”

In the DePaul event, which one of our tipsters described as “delightful,” Her Honor had some other excellent quips about her career ambitions. For example:

“People always ask me, ‘Did you always want to be a judge?’ What I wanted to do was get a job.”

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The class of 2013 can definitely relate. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Of course, Ruth Bader Ginsburg had to contend with overt gender discrimination when she went looking for legal employment (even though she studied at Harvard Law School and then graduated at the top of her class from Columbia Law School). Even though gender discrimination still exists, things have fortunately gotten much better on that front, as Justice Ginsburg noted:

“In the law, women were simply not there in the ancient days when I went to law school, maybe 3 percent of women were of the legal profession. My entry class at Harvard had over 500 people — nine women,” the justice said….

“It’s absolutely wonderful to see the changes and where we are now.”

Ain’t that the truth — and it’s due in significant part to the work of Justice Ginsburg, as both an advocate and a jurist. Even if she can’t carry a tune, her work within the law is as sweet as any melody.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg shows different side to DePaul audience [Chicago Sun-Times]

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Earlier: Quote of the Day: Let Your Inner Diva Shine, RBG!