The Supreme Court released a statement that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 fell in her office Wednesday night, fracturing three of her ribs.
The overall sentiment from the White House and Ginsburg’s fans appears to be hope that the “very tough woman” will pull this injury like those from the past.
“She’s a badass, she’ll make it through,” Mackenzie Pearson ’20 told The Sun.
The progressive icon was admitted to George Washington Hospital this morning, after feeling discomfort, CNN reported. It a statement, The Supreme Court wrote “tests showed that she fractured three ribs on her left side and she was admitted for observation and treatment.”
The Cornell alumna, now 85, underwent heart surgery in 2014 and received treatment for early stage pancreatic cancer in 2009. She also had a surgery in 1999 for colon cancer, according to CNN. CNBC reported that Ginsburg also fractured two of her ribs in 2012, but did not publicly disclose the information for months.
Ginsburg has served on the court since 1993, and is the second woman to have been appointed to the court, following Sandra Day O’Connor who was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1981. Ginsburg was appointed by former president Bill Clinton and is now the oldest member of the court.
Ginsburg previously said in August that she plans to serve on the court until at least 2020, according to CNN.
“I’m now 85. My senior colleague, Justice John Paul Stevens, he stepped down when he was 90, so think I have about at least five more years,” Ginsburg told CNN, which also reported she has already hired clerks until 2020.
The justice is known for her support of movements like #MeToo, as previously reported by The Sun, and for her work supporting women, like as the leader of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union during the 1970s. Ginsburg’s activism for women’s’ rights began during her time at Cornell more than 60 years ago.
Her hospitalization has coincided with the first day of the formal investiture of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, which began Thursday morning, according to CNN.
CNN also reported that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters during a press conference that Ginsburg is “a very tough woman.”
The hospitalization of Ginsburg, who authored the brief that led the Supreme Court to apply the 14th Amendment equal protection clause to protect females from sex discrimination in the landmark Reed v. Reed case, prompted AAP student Savanna Lim ’21 to create a “joke” Facebook event called “Point to the Sky and yell ‘GET WELL SOON RBG.’”
In an email to The Sun, Lim said she just wanted to create an event to show “that people care about [Ginsburg] and her well being, and in turn the state of the future of the U.S. — especially with Kavanaugh’s election and a now conservative majority on the Supreme Court.”
“It’s more of a support and fight for RBG’s recovery, since she is our most famous and sacred alum, especially in these trying times,” Lim said. “It’s like [Democrats] just won the house back, but now Jeff sessions [was] fired and RBG is hospitalized?”
Lim said she was inspired by “all those ridiculous events” on Facebook she’s previously seen, including an event titled “Go to the TX capital and yell “Betoooo” to help him win.”
Some students expressed their concern about Ginsburg’s health and recovery.
Yunyun Wang ’20 went to Facebook to share her sentiments about Ginsburg, who she calls her “inspiration.”
“Sending thoughts and prayers for Justice Ginsburg,” she posted. “Whether you agree with her political views or not, someone who has committed a lifetime of service to her country and fought to advance equality for all deserves our respect.”
“I know she could be delicate, but that must have been a hard fall,” said Armoni Brightly ’22.
Others are worried for the political climate if Ginsburg’s injuries prove more severe.
“We are in a moment of crisis,” said Tyler Rodriguez ’21. “She’s on her last life.”
The court said they would release more information as it becomes available.
Paris Ghazi ’21 contributed reporting on this article.