By Asha Varma ‘20, Staff Writer

Gender inequality is an issue that the United States has continued to work towards improving. Even after her very recent death, Janet Reno has remained one of the most inspiring and powerful women to have served in the United States government since 1993. Reno was appointed the United States Attorney General from 1993 to 2001, where she changed the face of female leadership and capability.

Born in Miami, Florida, in 1938, Janet Reno grew up an ambitious young girl. After watching court proceedings with her father throughout childhood, she wanted to be a lawyer because she “didn’t want people to tell her what to do.” Reno later went on to attend law school at Harvard University. She spent many years in private practice until she ran for county prosecutor of Dade County in Florida. After serving from 1978 to 1993, Reno developed a strong reputation.

Known as outspoken, tough, and liberal, Reno became known to all when she was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be the United States Attorney General. Not only did she solve many cases for our nation, but she also changed history by becoming the first female to take on that role. As the head of the Department of Justice, she handled the country’s legal affairs: Reno was the most important lawyer in the United States.

History teacher Mrs. Schottland added that “Janet Reno had some very difficult decisions to make as Attorney General. One case in particular was the Elion Gonzalez case. She had to decide whether this child, who was a Cuban refugee that had found refuge in his great uncle’s home in Florida, had to be returned to Cuba following his father’s request that he be returned. She did in fact send police to his uncle’s home and did in fact deport the child back to his father in Cuba. This was not an easy decision. I remember Janet Reno full of grace under fire.” While she knew there were already people who were doubtful of her abilities to fulfill and live up to the responsibilities of this position, Reno followed her instincts to make this decision on behalf of the entire country. Persevering in the face of many damaging stereotypes, she handled a wide variety of cases in nearly ten years of work, which covered issues ranging from political corruption to child abuse.

She faced one of her most remarkable challenges at the outset of her career. David Koresh, cult leader of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Church, took part in a conflict  with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Reno attempted to  resolve the standoff by approving a siege against the Branch Davidian compound in Texas. When her plan went wrong, 85 Branch Davidians, including 21 children and their leader Koresh himself, died. In a public statement, Reno took responsibility for the lives lost in the raid: “I am accountable. The buck stops with me.” While there was much controversy surrounding Reno after the siege, she continued to work to prove that she was the best person for the job.

Eventually, she became a well-respected member of the Clinton administration. She launched programs to help support the rights of criminal defendants and keep non-violent drug offenders out of prison. She went on to have many successful high-profile cases, including the prosecution and conviction of “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski. “Having a woman in such a high power position in the U.S. government showed that women can get the job done just as well as men, as Janet Reno proved from all of the things she accomplished for our country,” said Taylor Hagen ‘20.

After leaving her position as Attorney General in 2001, Reno returned to her home in Florida and strayed away from the political spotlight. Reno had been battling Parkinson’s disease since 1995, and she passed away from medical complications on November 7, 2016.

Although Janet Reno is gone, all that she has done for our country will not be forgotten. Tyler Friedman ‘17, a member of POWER: People On Women Equality and Rights, described  Reno’s work not only helped to end legal injustices within our country, but also brought attention to other social issues: “First of all, the fact that she was the first female attorney general highlights the lack of representation of women in our government, an issue that we have definitely improved upon since she was in office but is still an issue nonetheless. Simply holding the position that she did addressed the social injustice faced by women in the U.S. government.” In fact, current Attorney General Loretta Lynch is female. Janet Reno’s legacy lives  today, proving that women can handle leadership with confidence, perseverance, and success.