This week at Gender Justice: Supporting transgender rights and more
In today’s climate, where we are seeing attacks on transgender and LGBQ rights increase daily in so many spaces, we all could use some good news. Our work matters. It changes lives. And thanks to Gender Justice supporters and donors, we are making progress, despite what we can feel after reading headlines.
July 24, 2022
Dear Friend,
In today’s climate, where we are seeing attacks on transgender and LGBQ rights increase daily in so many spaces, we all could use some good news. Our work matters. It changes lives. And thanks to Gender Justice supporters and donors, we are making progress, despite what we can feel after reading headlines.
We are so happy to share an update from Matt. In 2019, Gender Justice sued the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District, arguing that the district violated his rights by failing to provide Matt with a safe and equitable learning environment as a transgender student. Our lawsuit resulted in Matt receiving a compensatory settlement and the district agreed to make changes. A few years later, he just graduated from high school. He is thriving.
His mom, Helene writes:
“I think it is important you know that not only are you making really important systems changes, you helped a very traumatized little boy regain control of his own life, learn to love himself again and see a future for himself.”
Gender Justice in the News
This week, Gender Justice spoke with New York magazine’s The Cut on pharmacist refusals after Roe v. Wade.
Gender Justice Legal Director Jess Braverman: “If a pharmacist just refuses to give someone medication prescribed by their doctor for pain relief during IUD insertion, I would absolutely say that’s a form of sex discrimination, especially if that’s not actually barred by any law,” Braverman says. Minnesota’s sex-discrimination law, for instance, includes discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. It’s not just a hypothetical debate: Gender Justice filed a lawsuit in 2019 on behalf of a woman who was refused emergency contraception by two pharmacies, and the case is now going to trial.
Letters of Support to Christina Lusk
A few weeks ago, we asked you to send notes of encouragement to our client, Christina Lusk. Christina is a trans woman who is currently incarcerated at Moose Lake, a men’s prison, despite being socially, medically and legally recognized as a woman.
During her time with the Department of Corrections, the agency placed Ms. Lusk in the men’s prison subjecting her to discrimination and harassment. Gender Justice, along with our co-counsel Robins Kaplan, LLC, is suing the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
We recently sent over 30 of your letters of support to Christina! Thank you for supporting her during such a challenging time. You can still send a note to Christina!
Thank you for reading!
–The Gender Justice Team