This New SCOTUS Photo With Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Brett Kavanaugh Is Going Viral
Friday is portrait day at the Supreme Court of the United States, and you know what that means—a spot of shade-throwing by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or so it seems.

Friday is portrait day at the Supreme Court of the United States, and you know what that means—a spot of shade-throwing by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or so it seems. The November 30 portrait is the first that includes now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh (opens in new tab), who replaced Anthony Kennedy after a bitter tug-of-war (opens in new tab) about whether the multiple sexual harassment claims against him (which Kavanaugh denies) should render him ineligible. (Meanwhile, Christine Blasey Ford has only recently been able to return home due to death threats, (opens in new tab) but I digress.)
In several of the portraits, as well as in a screenshot taken by C-SPAN and screenshotted by reporter Lauren Tara LaCapra on Twitter, RBG appears to shrink away from the newest justice, who beams from the top-right of the picture. Sure, we have no way of knowing how the feminist icon feels about an accused sexual harasser sitting on the highest court of the land, but RBG's feminist credentials might suggest that she's on the side of the women everywhere who opposed Kavanaugh's nomination. (Also, she didn't look too thrilled (opens in new tab)during Kavanaugh's confirmation, either.)
Here's the C-SPAN shot:
And here are the official SCOTUS portraits:
Here's a close-up:
Don't get me wrong—I could certainly be seeing what I want to see here, mostly because RBG is a bona fide women's rights icon. (Meanwhile, Kavanaugh behaved like a spoiled child (opens in new tab) when asked about assault allegations at his confirmation hearings and got a spot on the bench anyway.) Also, in fairness, RBG has adopted this facial expression in previous SCOTUS shots that did not include Kavanaugh, so there's that.
But many people on Twitter saw what I see, too.
RBG’s face in her first pic w Kavanaugh is the biggest mood towards most men ever pic.twitter.com/87lbkZEFDxNovember 30, 2018
You just keep fighting the good fight, RBG, newly healing broken ribs and all (opens in new tab).
For more celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
SUBSCRIBE HERE (opens in new tab)
RELATED STORIES
Jenny is the Director of Content Strategy at Marie Claire. Originally from London, she moved to New York in 2012 to attend the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and never left. Prior to Marie Claire, she spent five years at Bustle building out its news and politics coverage. She loves, in order: her dog, goldfish crackers, and arguing about why umbrellas are fundamentally useless. Her first novel, EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD, will be published by Minotaur Books in 2024.
-
Royal Family Would “Collapse” Without Catherine, Princess of Wales, As the “Future Rests on Her”
No pressure!
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Paris Hilton Calls Princess Diana Her Idol, Says She’s Rooting for Prince Harry
Hilton and Harry both released memoirs this year.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Apparently Making Major Demands in Order to Confirm Their Attendance at the Coronation
“It could lead to chaos.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to Men
It's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If Reelected
Kathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
By Emily Tisch Sussman
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So Critical
As we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
By Tanya Benedicto Klich
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun Safety
The Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
By Sen. Tammy Duckworth
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.
Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
By Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, hosts of Pantsuit Politics Podcast
-
The Supreme Court's Mississippi Abortion Rights Case: What to Know
The case could threaten Roe v. Wade.
By Megan DiTrolio
-
Sex Trafficking Victims Are Being Punished. A New Law Could Change That.
Victims of sexual abuse are quietly criminalized. Sara's Law protects kids that fight back.
By Dr. Devin J. Buckley and Erin Regan
-
My Family and I Live in Navajo Nation. We Don't Have Access to Clean Running Water
"They say that the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Why are citizens still living with no access to clean water?"
By Amanda L. As Told To Rachel Epstein