My Own Words

In her portions of the text, Ginsburg typically writes in simple, declarative sentences, such that readers understand precisely what she intends to discuss and, at the conclusion of a piece, exactly where she stands. This sort of clarity is necessary for legal documents. Thus, when she gives the majority bench announcement that requires the VMI to open its doors to women as well as men, she explains in declarative sentences such as this: “The school’s unique program and unparalleled record as a leadership training ground has led some women to seek admission” (151).

Beyond her legal texts, however, she tends to write in the same expository manner when penning essays and lectures. Thus, she begins an essay—later presented as a lecture—on an evolving understanding of the judiciary: “The Madison Lecture series has exposed and developed two main themes: human rights and the administration of justice, particularly in our nation’s federal courts. My remarks touch on both themes” (228). Despite the simplicity of her style, Ginsburg can include irony, humor, negative observations, and prophetic statements in her work. In her comments on a law she found disingenuous, she writes, “Texas trained its restrictions on abortion providers alone, and placed no similar restraints on medical procedures considerably more dangerous to patients, including tonsillectomies, colonoscopies, and childbirth” (328).