Supreme Court Review on New Episode of Ms. Magazine’s “On The Issues with Michele Goodwin” Podcast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | AUGUST 11, 2020

On the Issues with Michele Goodwin is a new issues- and policy-focused podcast featuring feminist analysis, insightful conversations and exciting guests. This is the first podcast from Ms. magazine, a legacy feminist publication.

In each bi-weekly episode, host Dr. Michele Goodwin and special guests will tackle the most compelling issues of our times, centering feminist concerns about rebuilding our nation and advancing the promise of equality.

A new episode—Ms. Magazine Supreme Court Review—is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and MsMagazine.com.

Dr. Goodwin is joined by Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project; Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of University of California, Berkeley School of Law; Leah Litman, assistant professor at University of Michigan Law School and co-host of Strict Scrutiny Podcast; and Franita Tolson, vice dean and professor of law at University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

These powerhouse legal experts discuss the Supreme Court’s most recent term—and where we go from here. Is there any truth left to the long-held belief that the Supreme Court is non-partisan? Was June Medical v. Russo a true victory for abortion rights—and what does this ruling mean for future of Roe v. Wade? How will the Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton affect LGBTQ+ rights moving forward? And looking ahead, what can we expect from Chief Justice John Roberts?

Their conversation covered a wide range of topics; you can find a full transcript here, as well as a few excerpts below:

“President Trump is doing very well before the Supreme Court. Much too well, because I think the Court is upholding violations of the Constitution.” —Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, UC Berkeley School of Law

“If you look at a lot of the Court decisions that came out after the shelter-in-place orders, the Court has not been friendly to voting rights at all… We have a series of decisions that the Supreme Court has made in the corona-era where they basically make it difficult for people to cast ballots.” —Franita Tolson, vice dean & professor of law, USC Gould School of Law

“Who are the lawyers who are arguing in front of the Supreme Court? Who are in the pipelines for the types of jobs that would lead them to be appointed to the federal judiciary? It’s overwhelmingly white men. The number of women and people of color who argue at the Supreme Court is so slim—it is appalling.” —Brigitte Amiri, deputy director, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project

“I also think it’s important to note that the [Bostock] decision has real limitations and could be substantially restricted in the future… While the decision in Bostock is an important victory for LGBT equality, it is important not to overstate how significant it might be, particularly in the hands of this Court.” —Leah Litman, professor at University of Michigan & co-host, Strict Scrutiny Podcast

Meet the Host of On the Issues: Dr. Michele Goodwin is a frequent contributor to Ms. magazine and on MsMagazine.com. She is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine and also serves on the executive committee and national board of the ACLU. Dr. Goodwin is a prolific author and an elected member of the American Law Institute, as well as an elected Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Hastings Center. Her most recent book, Policing The Womb: Invisible Women and The Criminalization of Motherhood, is described as a “must read.”

About Ms. Magazine: Co-founded by Gloria Steinem in 1972 and published by the Feminist Majority Foundation since 2001, Ms. magazine has been a trusted, popular source for feminist news and information in print and online for nearly 50 years. Ms.’s time-honored traditions of an emphasis on in-depth investigative reporting and feminist political analysis have never been more relevant, bringing a new generation of writers and readers together to create the feminism of the future.

####

If you would like more information on the On the Issues with Michele Goodwin podcast, or to schedule an interview with Host Michele Goodwin or Executive Producer & Ms. Executive Editor Katherine Spillar, please email press@msmagazine.com.