Sex discrimination
This is the most prominent theme throughout the movie and, indeed, is the real life experience of Ginsburg. Having only been one of nine female students at Harvard Law School, Ginsburg graduates as valedictorian but is still unsuccessful in finding a position in the legal sector. Her career was pigeonholed due to her gender and instead she ends up taking on the role of a Professor at Rutgers Law School, teaching "Sex Discrimination and the Law". However, throughout the course of the movie, Ginsburg aims to challenge the status quo through taking on cases against the Supreme Court that highlight how unfair the system is against women, and is ultimately successful in overturning five out of six cases she presents.
Societal convention
Ginsburg is ahead of her time as a woman, having gone against the grain of her traditional American-Jewish family and pursued a career in law. She is not held back by the challenges faced in Moritz v. Commissioner, and the fact that the judge seems to consider her less because she is a woman. Indeed, she retorts in the final court room scene that societal roles are changing and that the law needs to evolve with the change.
Love
Though a secondary theme to the movie, it is endearing to see the displays of affection between Ginsburg and her husband, Martin, throughout the movie. Having been diagnosed with testicular cancer during his time at Harvard, it is Ginsburg who sacrifices her education to do both her and Martin’s work, whilst caring for him and their daughter, Jane. In turn, we continue to see the affection between them with Martin taking on household duties as Ginsburg campaigns against the Supreme Justice.
