In this episode of On The Issues, lawyer and writer Dahlia Lithwick returns to our show for an intimate conversation with Dr. Michele Goodwin about the Supreme Court, her career, and new book, Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America.  They dive deep about the women saving America and why Lithwick says she "quit the Court" after the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Helping us to sort out questions about women saving democracy and to set the record straight is our very special guest, Dahlia Lithwick: Dahlia Lithwick is a lawyer, writer and journalist. She writes about the courts and law for Slate, and hosts the popular podcast “Amicus.” Her new book Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America, out September 2022, tackles the story of the women lawyers at the heart of our nation’s ongoing battle to save democracy. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

On today’s show, we’re delving into the lives and work of the women coming together to save our democracy. Election administration has become one of the most challenging jobs in the U.S. government. One in three election officials reports feeling unsafe because of their job. Americans are doubting the legitimacy of our elections, despite the fact that experts described the 2020 election as the “most secure” in American history.In the face of these fundamental challenges to our democracy—and in an environment increasingly characterized by political polarization—how can we protect our elections, and support our elections officials?Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight are our very special guests: Natalie Adona: Natalie Adona is the county clerk-recorder elect and former assistant clerk-recorder/registrar of voters for Nevada County, Calif. She previously worked as the senior research and learning associate for the elections program at Democracy Fund, where she co-authored the reports "Understanding the Voter Experience” and “Stewards of Democracy.”Tonya Wichman: Tonya Wichman is the director of the Defiance County Board of Elections in Defiance, Ohio, and a certified elections and registration administrator. Kathy Holland: Kathy Holland was the director of the Alamance County Board of Elections for over 31 years until she retired in 2021. She served in eight presidential elections, and was the president of the North Carolina Association of Directors of Elections.This special episode of On the Issues with Michele Goodwin is presented in conjunction with Ms. Magazine’s “Women Saving Democracy” platform, produced in collaboration with the Brennan Center for Justice and RepresentWomen. Explore the whole project—featuring reported pieces, firsthand accounts from election officials, video events with women political leaders, and more—here. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we consider the American landscape as children go back to school.  As mass shootings devastate communities across the country, parents are packing bulletproof protection in their children’s backpacks and sending them to school with lessons on how to survive a mass shooting. Jackson Katz joins Dr. Michele Goodwin to discuss the complicated issues at the heart of this crisis including questions related to masculinity, why mass shootings are overwhelmingly committed by men, and the implications in light of the rise in white supremacy in the United States.Joining us to discuss these vital issues is our special guest: Jackson Katz is a scholar and activist working on issues of gender, race and violence. He is co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), as well as the author of two acclaimed books and creator of the award-winning Tough Guise educational documentary series. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we are live with the National Women’s History Museum for an incredibly important episode addressing reproductive health rights and justice from a historical point of view.  In the wake of the overturn of Roe, we've seen horrific cases: a 10-year-old girl fleeing the state of Ohio to get to Indiana in order to terminate a pregnancy after rape; a Wisconsin woman bleeding for more than 10 days with an incomplete miscarriage before doctors could provide her the standard medical treatment; and so much more. The political situation that’s led to these cases becoming commonplace has deep roots in America’s history of slavery, reproductive restrictions, and controlling women’s bodies. So, how did we get here?We're unpacking the historical events that led us to the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, and examining how the Supreme Court failed in its analysis and recounting of America’s history around reproductive health, rights, and justice.Joining us for this special event are:Professor Mary Ziegler is a professor of law at the UC Davis School of Law, as well as one of the world’s leading historians of the U.S. abortion debate. Ziegler is also the author of Abortion and the Law in America: A Legal History, as well as the recently released Dollars for Life: The Antiabortion Movement and the Fall of the Republican Establishment.   Professor Sarah Dubow is a professor of history at Williams College and author of the award-winning book, Ourselves Unborn: A History of the Fetus in Modern America.   Professor Deborah White is the board of governors professor of History and professor of Women and Gender Studies at Rutgers University. She’s also the author of Ar'n't I a Woman? Female Slaves in the Plantation South.  Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

After a Supreme Court term unlike any other in nearly a century, confidence in what was once a revered body has sunk to a historic low. Only 25 percent of Americans report having confidence in the United States Supreme Court.  In this episode we are joined by a sold-out, live studio audience at the Irvine Barclay Theatre to capture the 2022 Supreme Court Term in Review.  Our host, Dr. Michele Goodwin, along with leading national experts, explore critical rulings from this term, including: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned 49-year-old federal abortion protections established in Roe v. Wade; New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down a 111-year-old state protection requiring gun owners to show “proper cause” for concealed carry licenses; West Virginia v. EPA, which ruled the agency has no executive jurisdiction to regulate certain greenhouse gas emissions; and more.Joining Dr. Goodwin were special guests:• Aziza Ahmed, professor of law, Boston University School of Law• Erwin Chemerinsky, dean, Berkeley Law• Mary Anne Franks, professor of law and Michael R. Klein distinguished scholar chair, University of Miami School of Law; author, The Cult of the Constitution• Regina Mahone, The Nation• Mark Joseph Stern, Slate Magazine• Mary Ziegler, professor of law, UC Davis School of Lawand a special guest appearance by H. Adam Harris.Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

The unspeakable has finally come to pass: The Supreme Court has ruled, in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson, to overturn Roe v. Wade and roll back abortion rights across the U.S. For the first time, the Court has taken away a fundamental right that so many depend on. This unprecedented assault on bodily autonomy will unleash significant harms across the country — particularly for those most marginalized, including poor women and girls, women of color, LGBTQ people and disabled people. It also raises fundamental questions when it comes to the dismantling of privacy protections — the opinion calls into question other fundamental rights decided by the court including the right to birth control, same sex marriage, and more. How can this decision be justified in light of glaring rates of maternal mortality and mortality? How can we move forward and secure the rights of those most impacted by this devastating ruling? And how can we center those most vulnerable among us, and ensure they’re included in the promise of our constitution? In this episode, "On The Issues" host Dr. Michele Goodwin speaks directly to our audience, unpacking the Dobbs decision and what comes next. Support the show

In this episode, we’re recognizing the 50th anniversary of Title IX — the historic federal legislation that transformed the landscape of gender equality in public education. We’re also honoring the legacy of its chief proponent: Patsy Takemoto Mink, who defied all odds in many ways as the first woman of color in Congress.  Joining Dr. Goodwin for this episode is a very special guest:Professor Gwendolyn Mink. Wendy Mink is the daughter of Patsy Takemoto Mink, and the co-author of Fierce and Fearless: Patsy Takemoto Mink, First Woman of Color in Congress.Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In May, we learned in a leaked draft opinion obtained by Politico that the Supreme Court is expected to reverse itself on Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and a legacy of abortion jurisprudence upholding reproductive freedom — profoundly dismantling abortion rights in the U.S.  If Roe and Casey are overturned in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, grave consequences are in store for our democracy and the rule of law.  On today’s show, released in conjunction with our Beyond Roe: The Fight for Our Future project, we’re proud to share a special discussion: an in-depth exploration on why abortion is essential to the health of our democracy and society — and why democracy is essential to abortion, particularly given the alarming rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the U.S.  Recorded before a live studio audience at NPR’s WNYC Studios in New York City, our slate of experts came together in person on April 20 at an event co-hosted with the Brennan Center for Justice and NYU Law’s Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network. Experts dug deep on questions such as: How should we consid­er parallel affronts to participation and representation—the wave of state voting restrictions and gerrymandering? Can we look to state courts to provide new avenues in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling? What are the legal and soci­etal impacts of crim­in­al­iz­ing preg­nancy and abor­tion on vulnerable communities, including among individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ people seeking reproductive healthcare, indigent Americans, and communit­ies of color? Joining Dr. Goodwin in front of a live studio audience at WNYC :• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes professor of law at NYU Law; faculty director at the Birnbaum Women’s Law Network; and member of the Brennan Center Board of Directors• Lourdes Rivera, senior vice president of U.S. programs at the Center for Reproductive Rights• Monica Raye Simpson, executive director of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

The future of abortion care is here: A safe, legal abortion in the comfort of your own home—accessed via mail and telehealth, delivered right to your door.  So, what do you need to know about abortion pills? How do they work? How long has medication abortion been available? Is it safe? (The answer’s yes!) Is it legal? (Yes!) Is it effective? (Extremely.) Joining Michele Goodwin for this episode is an expert on the subject:  Dr. Julie Amaon, a family medicine doctor working for Just the Pill, a nonprofit telemedicine abortion provider based in the Twin Cities and serving people in Minnesota, Montana and Wyoming, as well as people coming from surrounding states. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we’re turning back to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation hearings, and the messaging we saw play out. Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, what were Republican senators signaling? What's ahead for the First Amendment?  Criminal Justice?  LGBTQ equality?  Are senators signaling the desire to do away with fundamental constitutional protections and why?  What issues should we be concerned about?  Joining us for this timely discussion is a very special guest:Jill Wine-Banks: Jill Wine-Banks is an MSNBC legal analyst. She began her career as the first woman to serve as an organized crime prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C. After just over four years, her trial capabilities and win record led her to be selected as one of the three assistant Watergate special prosecutors, where she, again, was the only woman.Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show