Unforgotten Casebook — One case. Every angle. One place.
← Case library

1971–1993 · New York; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg & the fight against sex discrimination

Civil rights & equality

Ruth Bader Ginsburg challenged laws that treated people differently because of sex, developing a litigation strategy before her Supreme Court appointment. On the Basis of Sex dramatizes an early tax case involving a male caregiver; her collected writings offer a wider view of her legal career.

View timeline →
Content note

Source note: screen portrayals may condense events or use fictional characters. Books and films are identified separately; a companion book is not necessarily the film’s source.

EXPLORE THE CASE

The Story

Start Here
When1971–1993
WhereNew York; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.
In this collection4 resources

Start here.

A starting point from this case’s collection. Choose a format, then explore the source details.

Where are they now?

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

Nicknames & media names

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

EXPLORE THE CASE

Family Tree

People & Relationships

The family relationships behind the story, gathered in one place.

Selected relationships only—not a complete genealogy. A family connection does not imply involvement in a crime.

About These Family Trees

These original diagrams summarize relationships reported by the linked sources. Community genealogy sites can contain errors and are not proof of identity or parentage. Full trees or record images may require an account. We omit speculative relationships, private contact details and unrelated living descendants.

Sources reviewed September 15, 2026. Suggest a sourced correction.

EXPLORE THE CASE

Blogs & Essays

The Journal

Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →

From the journal

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

Blogs & essays

1 items
About these sources

Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.

Historical source

Writing On the Basis of Sex

The screenwriter discusses the early legal case and his research with Ginsburg. This is a production interview, not a court opinion.

EXPLORE THE CASE

Books

Read The Story

CONTINUE YOUR READING

Search this case on Amazon · paid link

Search results may include unrelated titles. Check the author, edition, and case connection before purchasing.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon buttons marked “paid link” may earn us a commission. Affiliate disclosure

Explore Free & Library Reading →

Books

1 items

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams

My Own Words

Collected writings and speeches, with biographical context. A companion volume, not the film’s source book.

Search Amazon · paid linkExplore this book

Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.

Explore books & audio connecting several cases →

EXPLORE THE CASE

Movies & TV

Documentaries & Adaptations

Movies

1 items
About these sources

Watch links, previews and title listings are identified below. Rentals or subscriptions may be required.

Film / television guide

On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Dramatized portrayal of these events. Film information and availability are provided by the linked source; dialogue and chronology may differ from the historical record.

Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & film details

Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.

TV & documentaries

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

Fiction Work · 1 adaptations & inspirations

Fiction Work

Browse all →

Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.

Film / television guide

On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Dramatized portrayal of these events. Film information and availability are provided by the linked source; dialogue and chronology may differ from the historical record.

Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & film details

Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.

EXPLORE THE CASE

Podcasts & Audio

Listen & Explore

Podcasts

1 items
About these sources

Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.

StoryCorps · Sharron Cohen and Nathan Cohen · 2020

Remembering Justice Ginsburg’s Words

Sharron Cohen, the plaintiff in Frontiero v. Richardson, and her son remember meeting Ginsburg. Their conversation adds a personal perspective on the sex-discrimination case.

Listen to the episode

EXPLORE THE CASE

Social Media

Videos & Conversations

Social Media

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

EXPLORE THE CASE

News & Reading

Reporting, Clippings & Archives

Free & Library Reading

0 sources

Explore free articles, book previews and library options. The label on each item explains what you can access; a catalog entry does not mean the whole book is free.

No additional case-specific reading source was confirmed in this review. The reporting and original summaries elsewhere on this page remain available.

Reading Access Notes

Search reviewed 2026-09-15. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine. Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait.

A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.

News & reporting

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

Newspaper clippings

0 items

Featured newspaper clipping

No newspaper image has been cleared for display for this case yet. Explore the archive below.

Keep following the newspaper trail.

Search original reporting, follow the trial, and compare how newspapers covered the case over time.

Explore more on Newspapers.com

Newspapers.com controls access to its archive. A subscription may be required; existing subscribers can sign in.

Internet Archive

No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.

EXPLORE THE CASE

Court & Files

Explore The Documents

Court records & documents

0 items
About these sources

Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.

No accessible court document has been verified for this case yet.

New material will appear here after editorial review.

EXPLORE THE CASE

Roads Traveled

Maps & Locations

Roads Traveled

Open case map →

New York; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.

Where this story happened

New York; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.

Highlighted states show regional context, not exact addresses. Ontario and regions outside the contiguous U.S. are listed by name.

Explore the interactive case atlas →

Boundaries: Natural Earth · public domain

Location research & source notes

This case was added after the September 14 map-source review and has not yet been checked against those sources.

The map shows regional context for this case. No individually sourced historical place is included below.

Explore outside maps & location guides →

EXPLORE THE CASE

Positive Outcome

Laws, Advocacy & Change

Positive Outcome

0 items
About these sources

Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.

No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.