JGRJ Today

The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice Today! We are a journal that promotes living discussion. We intend to build alliances across differences, to rub ideas together and watch the sparks fly. We invite you to help us fan the flames, to set the legal community on fire.

The Comstock Act: Back from the Dead?

On April 7, a federal judge from the Northern District of Texas, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, issued an injunction ordering the FDA to rollback its approval of an abortion drug, mifepristone. His injunction may lead to the national resurrection the remainder of the Comstock Act.

Iowa’s Strict Scrutiny Gun Amendment May be Deadly to Iowans

"Time will tell whether this amendment to the Iowa Constitution will lead to an increase in Iowa’s death rate and total deaths due to firearm usage like the other three states that passed strict scrutiny gun laws."

Woman stands in protest for women's rights

Abortion May Not be So Divisive After All

"All five states that had abortion on the midterm ballot this year – Kentucky, Vermont, Michigan, Montana, and California – voted to support it."

Posted November 11, 2022 by Emily Azzarito

Summary Judgment Resurfaces University of Iowa Football Former Player Discrimination Suit: Present Issues for Minority Student-A

"The present climate has given the University of Iowa Athletic Department an opportunity to improve its inclusivity."

Posted September 18, 2022 by Adara Opiola

Double Confirmation: What Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Confirmation Hearings Confirmed About the Careful Way Black Women Must Present

"This is nothing new to Black women, but last week’s hearings reminded all of us and confirmed that, over the historical moment, Black women walk a careful path when it comes to how they express themselves in public, especially in the workplace or else they risk coming off angry and unprofessional."

Posted March 31, 2022 by Chantelle Cade

“Fairness” for Who? Transgender Women Athletes Stay Afloat for Now.

“By reducing ability to biology, critics of trans participation in sports reinforce gender stereotypes that push trans and cisgender women backward, ultimately dampening competition and threatening the legitimacy of women’s sports.”

Posted February 28, 2022 by Sidney E. Holler

Same Old Song and Dance

"Thus, until the NFL proactively reports and addresses its shortcomings regarding minority groups publicly, they will continue to flounder in the court of public opinion and fail to combat discrimination and harassment in the workplace."

Posted November 8, 2021 by Austin J. Pitts

Texas’ Restrict 2021 Abortion Law: Americans Overwhelmingly Disapprove

"Texas’s heartbeat abortion ban sets a dangerous precedent and directly threatens women’s autonomy over their own bodies."

Posted October 18, 2021 by Emma Sealey

Iowa Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Sex and Gender Discrimination Case

"Maybe the most crucial question raised by this case is whether the ICRA provides additional protection above and beyond Title VII of the Civil Rights Act."

Posted September 27, 2021 by Veronica A. Stafford

Deepfake Technology Poses a Threat to Reality

"In the modern age of misinformation, deepfake technology threatens our perception of reality. Deepfake technology 'use[s] a form of artificial intelligence called deep learning to make images of fake events.'"

The New Frontier of Cold Case Investigation: Forensic Genealogy . . . But What About Privacy?

"The Iowa Supreme Court's decision will be significant in determining how much privacy protection DNA needs."

Posted October 13, 2022 by Andrew Wendel

The False Dichotomy: The Historical and Contemporary Role of the Clergy in Reproductive Justice

"There are quieter voices among the faithful in America who have banded together in support of reproductive freedom."

Posted September 5, 2022 by Acacia Roberts

Ukraine Crisis: International Response to Russia’s Attack Against Ukraine

"Now is the time to stand united in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. As the crisis in Ukraine continues, Ukraine needs international solidarity, demanding that Russia immediately cease the hostilities in Ukraine."

Posted March 28, 2022 by Andrea M. Dalimonte

Reinvigorating the Rooney Rule

"Enforcement, oversight, and leadership are needed to make real improvements and not have hard-won gains swiftly erased. The N.F.L. is a case study in the loss of these gains and needs to reinvigorate their commitment to diversity."

Posted February 25, 2022 by MyHao Nguyễn

Where’s the Data? Lack of Media Coverage Magnifies the Ongoing Effects of Colonialism on Indigenous Communities Looking for Answ

"This data crisis and racist media bias, in conjunction with the generational trauma colonists have created and continue to create for our Native communities, must be addressed."

Posted November 1, 2021 by Angela Pruitt

Human Rights and the Taliban in an America-free Afghanistan: What It Looks Like and Why We Should Care

"After a failed experiment in nation-building, the United States has left a war-torn Afghanistan."

Posted September 20, 2021 by Grace Tobin

Bathroom Bills: An Insight into Arkansas's New Anti-Trans Law, and How Other States May Follow

"On March 22, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law a bill that restricts students’ use of restrooms or locker rooms that do not match with the biological sex listed on their birth certificate."

Is Legal Education Failing Its Students? The System Is As Broken it Feels

"Though some may enjoy their time in a post-graduate setting and experience no detrimental effects therefrom, many law students would beg to differ. They are no strangers to the struggles of poor mental wellness."

Iowa Proposes Its Own "Don’t Say Gay" Bill

"On February 9th, 2023, Iowa House Republicans introduced Senate Study Bill 1145 (“SSB 1145”), Iowa’s equivalent of Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law."

Is Tik Tok Safe for Children?

"Viral trends on TikTok capture the attention of children and sometimes encourage them to engage in dangerous behavior.^{^[i]} Some schools in Indiana have taken steps to warn parents about the harmful influence these trends have on children."

Ticketmaster’s Monopoly and Appropriate Consumer Protections

"Though Ticketmaster is currently under investigation, the company has long faced scrutiny from the public and members of the legislature under allegations of antitrust violations via monopoly practices."

The Story of Pieper Lewis: Punishing a Victim for Fighting Back

"For Pieper Lewis, that simple decision to fight back cost her two years in a juvenile detention center, five years of GPS tracking, and $150,000."

Posted September 30, 2022 by Andrew Thompson

What About Iowa Women?

"A splintered Iowa Supreme Court overruled Planned Parenthood of the Heartland v. Reynolds (2018), Iowa’s equivalent of Roe and Casey. Over the dissent of two justices, the court in Planned Parenthood of the Heartland v. Reynolds (2022) found that, as of June 17, 2022, no Iowa state constitutional protection of abortion rights exists either."

Posted June 27, 2022 by Veronica Stafford

African and Middle Eastern Facing Discrimination at the Ukrainian and Polish Border: Double Standards for Refugees Fleeing Ukrai

"While the international community has been focusing on the dangers faced by Ukrainians in this grave humanitarian crisis produced by the Russian government, we must also speak up for these African and South Asian students facing the same dangers and who must be treated with dignity."

Posted March 7, 2022 by Morgane Amina R. Haddad

Journal of Gender, Race & Justice