The concern was that if a woman was doing gender equality, her chances of making it to tenure in the law school were diminished. It was considered frivolous.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s quote sheds light on the challenges faced by women who advocated for gender equality, particularly in academic settings like law schools. She reflects on the concern that a woman who focused on gender equality might be seen as less serious or too ideological, which could negatively impact her chances of achieving tenure—a critical career milestone in academia. Ginsburg points out that gender equality was once perceived as a frivolous pursuit, rather than a legitimate area of legal scholarship and intellectual inquiry.

The quote speaks to the institutional biases and gender discrimination that women, especially those in male-dominated fields like law, faced in their careers. By framing gender equality as "frivolous," the academic world at the time minimized the significance of addressing deeply ingrained gender issues. This reflects broader societal attitudes toward women’s work, where feminist or gender-related studies were often dismissed as secondary or unimportant compared to more traditionally accepted fields.

Ginsburg’s words also reflect the personal challenges she faced in her own journey to break down these barriers. Throughout her career, she fought to demonstrate that issues of gender equality were fundamental to the law and essential for creating a just and equitable society. Her own work in the legal field, particularly in arguing landmark cases before the Supreme Court, helped shift the perception of gender equality from being “frivolous” to being central to the advancement of civil rights.

Ultimately, Ginsburg’s quote highlights the ongoing struggles for gender equality in academic and professional spheres. It speaks to the importance of challenging institutional prejudices and advocating for the recognition of women’s contributions to intellectual and legal discourse. Through her own career, Ginsburg helped transform how gender equality was viewed, making it a foundational and respected area of legal study and activism.