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.

Laying Down the Gavel: Judicial Misconduct and The Need for Remedial Action

"Back in October 2023, a federal lawsuit was filed against David Jones, the chief bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of Texas. In the complaint, the lawsuit alleged that Jones and Elizabeth Freeman, his former law clerk and Houston bankruptcy attorney, had an undisclosed romantic relationship."

Iowa’s Proposal to Reduce On-Site Inspections of Nursing Homes

"After a recent string of deaths and serious injuries connected to regulatory violations by Iowa’s nursing homes, an initiative to change the current law on how investigations of complaints from such facilities have borne fruit."

Her Best Assist? Will Clark's Success Advance Equity in Women's Sports

"Her accomplishments amount to more than just fame and success for Iowa women’s basketball, though, for Caitlin Clark is an inspiration for the next generation of female athletes and women more broadly."

How Iowa’s Newest 'Don’t Say Gay or Trans' Bill Violates Students’ Right to Learn

"Conservatives in the Iowa Legislature and Governor Kim Reynolds have followed suit with Florida’s trend of attempting to prohibit the free discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools with SF 496, also known as the 'Don’t Say Gay or Trans' bill. In response to this, a group of LGBTQ+ students from public schools across Iowa have filed a complaint in the United States District Court of the Southern District of Iowa for declaratory and injunctive relief, which would effectively stop the bill from continuing its effect on schools and students."

For-Profit Healthcare and the Negative Effect on Iowans in Nursing Homes

"As of November 29, 2023, four nursing homes in Iowa were added to the 'federal list of the nation’s worst care facilities.'"

The Ballad of Reddit, its API, and the IPO: How Social Media Companies Enrich Themselves Using the Intellectual Property of User

"In the summer of 2023, Reddit—a behemoth of a website that is simultaneously a news aggregator and a sprawling network of discussion boards—decided to begin charging software developers for access to its Application Program Interface (commonly referred to as an API), a software interface that allows two or more computer programs to communicate with one another and exchange data."

Workplace Discrimination—An Adequate “Disadvantage”

"In Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, the United States Supreme Court will consider whether Title VII prohibits discriminatory employment actions per se, or, if the employee must also demonstrate the action caused them a 'significant disadvantage.'"

Sovereign Citizens: Losing the Game by Refusing to Play

"Have you ever been pulled over for speeding and thought: 'Gosh, I wish I could just opt out of the law'? Well, I have good news and bad news for you. The good news: there is a school of thought available for that kind of impulse! The bad news: engagement with Sovereign Citizen ideology might indicate your general disengagement from society, lead you to worse legal outcomes, and have the bonus effect of landing you on a federal watchlist."

It’s Time for an End to US Military Support for Saudi Arabia

The intentional use of lethal force with explosive weaponry by Saudi border guards has resulted in the killing of 'at least hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers who tried to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023.'”

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

Iowa’s Continuous Attack on the LGBTQ+ Community

"[A]s of January 30, 2024, 13 bills have been proposed in Iowa to target the transgender community and LGBTQ+ community as a whole."

The Need for a Heightened Pro Se Standard

"Year after year, cases involving pro se criminal defendants overwhelmingly result in guilty pleas, as opposed to any other outcome like acquittal."

Mr. Reasonable: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

"By taking an individual’s relevant characteristics and notable experiences into account, courts can achieve their goal of truly making the reasonable person test an objective test. Our characteristics and experiences make us who we are; it is time for courts to stop pretending they don’t matter."

Black History Curriculum and its Effects

"On July 19, 2023, the Florida Board of Education announced new guidelines for the curriculum on black history. These guidelines include the teaching of middle schoolers on how slavery was mutually beneficial."

Protection for the Right to Choose in Iowa: A Relic of a Pre-Dobbs World Teed Up For Its Looming, Bleak Fate

"With a convoluted procedural history, an unclear standard of review, and a Court being keenly watched from the front row,[i] many expected the worst when, in April 2023, the Iowa Supreme Court heard the argument for Planned Parenthood v. Reynolds ex. rel. State, No. 22–2036, 2023 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 68 (Iowa 2023)."

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

Salt in the Wound; How Iowa AG’s Decision to Stop Providing Emergency Contraception Strips Sexual Assault Survivors of Autonomy

"While not surprising given the Iowa legislature’s aptitude at destroying the rights of its citizens,[i] the removal of emergency contraception for survivors represents another failure by the state to show respect and kindness to those who have been sexually assaulted or are experiencing sexual abuse."

Labor Law in America’s Heartland

"Those who no longer had fields and livestock to tend made their way to the city, competing with other dispossessed people to work in grueling factory jobs."

The Big Lie in Feminine Hygiene Products

"A recent study published in the journal of BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health on August 7^th, 2023, details the fact that up until now no currently marketed feminine menstruation products namely tampons, pads, cups, and menstrual discs have been tested with actual blood for absorption levels."

Domestic Violence Mandatory Arrest Laws: Overview and Victim Impact

"In the interest of observing Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I am sharing my story to raise awareness about the lasting impact of domestic violence and mandatory arrest laws."

Predatory Land Grabs Threaten Hawaiian Cultural Heritage

"In the wake of the catastrophic fires that have decimated the historic town of Lahaina in Maui, developers have descended upon the island. The devastation has become a financial opportunity for developers to grab land from the fire’s survivors."

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.

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