2024 Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Supporters,

As we approach the upcoming presidential election, it’s easy to feel fatigued by the familiar refrain: “This is the most important election of our lifetimes.” But with the U.S. Supreme Court intent on rolling back our right to bodily autonomy and a presidential race that will determine the fate of our democracy, the stakes have—once again—never been higher.

This summer, in its first abortion case decisions since Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court maintained access to essential abortion medication but left troubling uncertainties. The Court not only suggested that religious objections could allow doctors to deny care but also punted on whether state abortion bans override the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), leaving patients and providers in a dangerous limbo.

Beyond these abortion cases, the Supreme Court’s broader agenda this term reveals a more troubling long game aimed at undermining federal regulatory power with potentially disastrous impacts on health care access, including reproductive care.

In two separate rulings, the Supreme Court granted itself unprecedented power over the administrative state. First, by rolling back Chevron deference in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Court made it easier to challenge agency regulations—a move quickly used by a Mississippi judge to strike down new anti-discrimination rules for transgender health care. Then, in Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors, the Court removed the six-year limit on challenging federal regulations potentially reopening rulings, like the FDA’s 2000 approval of mifepristone.

The Supreme Court also announced it would rule on health care for trans youth in its next term. While the ruling would not necessarily impact our challenge to North Dakota’s gender-affirming care ban, it could impact how North Dakota state courts analyze the case. This makes it that much more important that we’re working with community members to lay the groundwork to shift hearts and minds around trans issues in the state.

As the November election approaches, we know that regardless of the outcome, right-wing extremists will continue to push their Project 2025 agenda, which explicitly aims to eliminate abortion, criminalize trans people, and dismantle federal agencies. In this climate, the state-level work that your support makes possible is more crucial than ever. It’s why we’re moving full-steam toward enshrining abortion and LGBTQ rights into Minnesota’s constitution through an Equal Rights Amendment—ensuring we’re protected no matter who’s in power in state government.

As I reflect back on this past year, I’m inspired by how Gender Justice has grown in size and impact, thanks to supporters like you. Your commitment has enabled us to remain agile and resilient in the face of rising challenges—and that’s what gives me hope.

We continue to win in the courts. Our client, Hani Ali, won her breastfeeding discrimination case against Sun Country Airlines, and North Dakota’s extreme abortion ban was declared unconstitutional. The Minnesota Supreme Court agreed to hear Cooper v. USA Powerlifting, our landmark case on discrimination against transgender athletes. We also announced a new case seeking justice for a trans high school librarian who was fired under the guise of “religious freedom” after coming out at work.

Your support also made it possible to achieve significant victories at the Minnesota Legislature. Together, we enacted new laws requiring insurance providers to cover abortion and gender-affirming care. We also banned book bans, invested in LGBTQ workforce development, established a pathway toward second-parent adoption, addressed racial disparities in the child protective system, and secured funding for African American and American Indian birthing care.

In September, we launched Gender Justice Action PAC in Minnesota, endorsing a slate of candidates and making strategic investments in key races to secure another pro-equality legislative majority to continue our forward momentum. This new PAC brings our work full circle, touching every part of how we work together to make change—from the courts to legislatures, grassroots and, now, the ballot box.

Thank you for standing with us. Our ability to forge ahead and adapt to ever-shifting changes in today’s unsteady political climate is thanks to your support. Together, we are ready to face whatever comes our way this November and beyond.

With gratitude,
Megan Peterson