Skip to content

The Ginsburg Tapes

With Lauren Moxley Beatty

Menu
  • About
Menu

The Blind, the Lame, and the Women (Rebroadcast)

Posted on September 19, 2020September 20, 2020 by Lauren Moxley

Episode 2 (Rebroadcast): Ruth Bader Ginsburg only lost one case as an oral advocate in the Supreme Court: Kahn v. Shevin. The case involved a challenge to a Florida law according a special tax exemption to female widows, but not male widowers. Every widow got the tax exemption, regardless of her income–even the wealthy widowed woman of Palm Beach. Ginsburg tried to show the Court how the law was built upon and perpetuated an assumption of women’s economic dependency upon men.

The Court didn’t buy it. In fact, one of the four justices to vote for strict scrutiny for laws discriminating on the basis of sex in Frontiero (see Ep. 1)–Justice William O. Douglas–defects. He authors the opinion in the only case that Ginsburg ever lost. Why? His mother.

Questions for Lauren? Shoot her an email at ginsburgtapes@gmail.com, or find her on Twitter and Instagram @ginsburgtapes.

http://media.blubrry.com/the_ginsburg_tapes/ginsburgtapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Ep-2-Rebroadcast.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

Episodes

  • We Won’t Settle for Tokens (Finale Rebroadcast)
  • Ride on Its Skirttails (Rebroadcast)
  • Near Beer and the Middle Tier (Rebroadcast)

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Contact Us

  • ginsburgtapes@gmail.com
© 2023 The Ginsburg Tapes | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme