Overview
“We should not be held back from pursuing our full talents, from contributing what we could contribute to the society, because we fit into a certain mold, because we belong to a group that historically has been the object of discrimination.” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Despite significant progress, discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity remains a persistent problem. Although women have made significant inroads toward equality in the workplace, they still face violence, discrimination, and pay inequality. Moreover, since long before the ruling in Roe v. Wade and up to the present day, the protection of reproductive rights has been under attack. States have enacted abortion restrictions and anti-abortion legislation, and courts have limited access to contraception and health insurance coverage. Funding cuts to Title X and women’s health care providers further threaten the health of a diverse range of women in all types of communities and encroaches upon the ability for women to obtain important reproductive health care.
For the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning) community, advocacy is essential for the protection of their civil and constitutional rights. These rights and liberties include freedom from discrimination in the workplace, schools, and public places; the guarantee of spousal/partner benefits; the right to appropriate name and gender designations on identity documents; and the ability to serve one’s country in uniform. LGBTQ students face discrimination in schools, and are often victims of bullying and harassment. Solutions obtained via legislation and court decisions are critical for the protection of gender equity and LGBTQ rights.
Through litigation and appellate advocacy, we have advanced the rights of women and members of the LGBTQ community in New Jersey. We have worked with partner organizations to challenge discrimination a nonbinary student faced when “coming out” about their gender, have represented women and LGBTQ individuals in sexual harassment and hostile workplace lawsuits, and have filed amicus briefs supporting the right of women to have a workplace bathroom that is free from surreptitious cameras that violated their basic right to privacy.