On the Basis of Sex is a film directed by Mimi Leder and was released in 2019. It follows the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the obstacles she faced as she progressed in her legal career. In particular, the film focused on the prejudice and sexism she faced, despite the fact she was a talented lawyer.
The film focuses on the start of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's career in law. At the beginning of the film, she is a student at Harvard Law School, and studies alongside her husband Martin, who is diagnosed with cancer. Ruth takes over both of their classes until he is later in remission. After this, he is hired by a law firm, while Ruth cannot find a position as she is a woman. Instead, she works as a professor teaching law.
Later in the film, Martin tells Ruth about a tax law case called Moriz v. Commissioner. Essentially, this case is about a man who cannot get a tax deduction for nursing care because he is a man. In this case, Ruth sees a chance to expose the gender assumptions existing within the law, and a chance to challenge this. As such, the meets with different lawyers trying to convince them to take on the case, without much luck. In the end, it is decided that Martin will take on the bulk of the case, with Ruth contributing arguments about equal protection.
The court case doesn't go entirely according to plan at first, as Martin goes beyond his allotted time, and Ruth is forced to make her points with little time left. The government offers a meager settlement, and are not prepared to accept the unconstitutional elements of the case. However, Ruth's final speech is powerful and convincing, leading to the court deciding in favor of Moritz. At the end of the film, the real Ruth Bader Ginsburg walks up the steps of the Supreme Court building, symbolizing the fact that she later became the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
