Funders for LGBTQ Issues joins the nation in mourning the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a luminary defender of women’s rights, reproductive freedom, and LGBTQ equality. 

Ginsburg was a leading architect of the modern legal battle for women’s rights. Since her appointment and confirmation to the United States Supreme Court in 1993, Justice Ginsburg was a moral compass on the Court and provided a critical voice for fairness and justice. Notably, she joined the majority on every decision in support of LGBTQ rights from the court and played a central role advancing the rights of LGBTQ people under the law.

“The passing of Justice Ginsburg, on Rosh Hashanah, during a year that has at times felt like too much to bear, is especially hard,” said Acting President of Funders for LGBTQ Issues Kristina Wertz. “We are left with a feeling of even greater uncertainty as we mourn the loss of one of the most brilliant legal minds of our generation, and a tireless defender of justice. What is certain though, is that Funders for LGBTQ Issues will honor the Notorious RBG by redoubling our commitments to reproductive justice, gender justice, racial justice, and LGBTQ liberation.” 

Despite Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish to have her successor on the Supreme Court appointed after the upcoming election, Senate leaders have indicated their intention to proceed with a nomination from President Trump as soon as possible. The stakes cannot be higher for LGBTQ people and our allies. The high court is scheduled to hear a case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act the week after the general election in November, potentially impacting millions of LGBTQ Americans who would otherwise not be able to receive medical care. The right to abortion and the legal reasoning supporting the right to bodily privacy  are also under threat, not only potentially harming women and trans, gender nonconforming and nonbinary people, but everyone seeking reproductive health care. 

Funders for LGBTQ Issues and our members are committed to continue to support LGBTQ communities in all our intersecting and diverse identities and cultures. Justice Ginsburg’s remarkable life and legacy not only represents decades of pioneering legal advancements that have made our society more just, but serve as a reminder that achieving true freedom requires all of us to do our part.

Image note: WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 30: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, celebrating her 20th anniversary on the bench, is photographed in the East conference room at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2013. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images)