RUTH Bader Ginsburg was a pioneering advocate of women's rights until her death last year. Now, in a “woke” tribute, a historic US institution has altered one of her most famous quotes, replacing the word "woman" with “person”.

 

What’s the institution?

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Founded in 1920 to be the country’s “guardian of liberty”, it works in US courts and communities “to defend and preserve” the individual rights and liberties of all Americans.

 

What was its tribute?

On the one year anniversary of the 87-year-old Supreme Court Justice’s death on September 18, the ACLU tweeted a Ginsburg quote on abortion rights: “The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a [person's] life, to [their] well-being and dignity…When the government controls that decision for [people], [they are] being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for [their] own choices.”

 

The original quote…?

The correct quotation, taken from Ginsburg’s written response to US senators during her 1993 confirmation hearing, reads: "The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity. It is a decision she must make for herself. When Government controls that decision for her, she is being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices."

 

Why did they alter it?

The ACLU removed "woman" and changed the pronouns to open the quote up to refer to trans and non-binary individuals who might also seek an abortion.

 

It comes as…?

The quote was in part a reference to Texas passing one of the most restrictive abortion laws in America in recent days that now prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity - usually around six weeks and before some women even know they are expecting.

 

What was the reaction?

As Ginsburg spent swathes of her legal career advocating for gender equality and women's rights, and even advocated as a volunteer attorney for the ACLU, the tweet sparked a furious response. Greg Scott, of the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom group, said: “The ACLU literally erasing women.” Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch in the US - a body that "defends civil liberties" - tweeted: "Did you just censor the word woman...and make RBG say something she didn't say? I don't think this advances rights in the way you think it does.”

 

The other side?

Responses in favour included a tweet saying: “Have you considered that they are trying to be inclusive of transgender men and non-binary people who have a uterus?”

 

RBG was a trailblazer?

Ginsburg began her career in her 20s, becoming the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court at 60 and then embracing her status as a cultural icon in her 80s when she was given the nickname “notorious R.B.G” - a take-off of US rapper Notorious B.I.G - and embraced the moniker.

 

Meanwhile?

Movie stars Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively have donated $1 million to the ACLU and the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) Legal Defense and Educational Fund in the US "for their tireless work defending rights and protecting civil liberties".