Gender Justice

Confirming the current status of abortion in North Dakota: LEGAL. In our case challenging North Dakota's abortion ban, the judge rejected the state's argument that his order last month is "confusing," adding: "The Court has found the law unconstitutional under the state constitution. It would be nonsensical for this Court to keep a law it has found to be unconstitutional in effect pending appeal." His judgment stands. And while legal ≠ accessible, it's a necessary condition for progress.

It's going to be a fascinating and illuminating conversation — and tickets to the brunch are going fast! Learn more and reserve your place here: https://lnkd.in/g-Nwgd9P

We're pleased to introduce our newest staff member, McKinna Hodge, who joins Gender Justice this fall as a Legal Assistant/Paralegal. Prior to joining Gender Justice, McKinna spent several years at a patent law firm, where she supported over twenty attorneys and worked with over one hundred companies to help ensure their intellectual property gained a patent. While there, she also gained experience in recruiting, training, and event planning. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a double major in Psychology and Sociology of Law, Criminology, & Deviance and a minor in Sport Management. McKinna also enjoys working at the Target Center, going to concerts, exploring the city, and hanging out with her dog. We're so glad to have her on the team!

Nearly two dozen states require insurance to cover some form of fertility treatment. But Minnesota isn't one of them. "Infertility is a disease. I have it. My husband has it," says Miraya Gran, a leader of the Minnesota Building Families Coalition, "and it requires medical treatment." In our latest podcast episode we talk with Miraya Gran and Senator Erin Maye Quade, author of the Minnesota Building Families Act, about their efforts to advance equity in Minnesota and about why fertility coverage is a key reproductive justice issue. 🎧 Listen and subscribe to The Gender Justice Brief podcast! Available wherever you get your podcasts, as well as on our site at this link.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sex discrimination in employment. One of the aims of Project 2025, the radical conservative plan for the presidency, is to eviscerate these protections. For example, the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that an accounting firm violated Title VII when it denied a woman partnership based on partners’ comments that she needed “a course in charm school” and should “walk more femininely, talk more femininely, dress more femininely, wear make-up, have her hair styled, and wear jewelry.” Project 2025 lays out the steps to reverse this interpretation. Read on for more examples. And make sure you have your voting plan in place. Remember: early voting is underway in Minnesota.

Socialize, network, celebrate and learn — tickets are available for the 2nd annual Gender Justice Brunch! Reserve your table, purchase individual tickets, or be a part of the action from your home as you watch the livestream (continuing legal education credit is available for those in the legal community.) We look forward to seeing you later this fall!

One of the signature achievements of 2023 was the passage of the Trans Refuge law. “If you are trying to access health care for transition-related reasons, you can access that care in the state of Minnesota no matter where you live, and while you are in the state of Minnesota, our laws will protect you,” explains Rep. Leigh Finke, the bill author and chair of the legislature's Queer Caucus. The law also protects medical providers from out-of-state subpoenas. Finke points to how Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tried to get medical records for transgender Texans from Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Under our bill, the attorney general is tasked with protecting people in Minnesota to receive gender-affirming care,” she says, so hospitals and doctors in the state don’t need to worry about that kind of effort.

Tickets are now available for the 2nd Annual Gender Justice Brunch! Socialize, network, celebrate, and learn with the reproductive rights community. Featuring music, brunch drinks and food, and a lively discussion, this event is not to be missed. This event is sure to sell out—get your tickets soon! Gretchen Sisson, PhD, and Gender Justice Board Member, Joy Parker will engage in a conversation: Exploring Adoption’s Place in Reproductive Justice: Indian Child Welfare Act and Domestic Adoption in the Dobbs Era. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits applied for. Childcare available on site. Tickets are also available for the livestream — see site for details.  

We are truly excited to welcome former Gender Justice intern Samantha Nagler to our team as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, sponsored by the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. Samantha's project focuses on promoting access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare by combating predatory, anti-abortion "crisis pregnancy centers," or CPCs. Prior to joining Gender Justice this fall, Samantha served as a law clerk for Justice Peter J. Rubin at the Massachusetts Appeals Court, and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was an active member of the Alliance for Reproductive Justice and the Mississippi Delta Project’s Reproductive Justice Initiative. In her free time, Samantha enjoys dancing, crocheting, and reading novels. We're simply thrilled that she's going to help advance our work challenging the harmful practices of CPCs.

This week is Workplace Rights Week in Minnesota. Did you know that as of July 1, 2023, Minnesota law includes expanded protections and accommodations for nursing and pregnant employees? Know your rights as an employee. Know your responsibilities as an employer. Download the Gender Justice Resource Guide to Pregnancy & Pumping Rights at Work: https://lnkd.in/gAEDKWBd