On The Issues With Michele Goodwin – Details, episodes & analysis

Election administration continues to be one of the most compelling, challenging, and increasingly dangerous jobs at the federal, state, and local levels. A recent survey by the Brennan Center revealed that over a third of election officials have experienced threats, harassment, or abuse just for doing their jobs.

In the face of these fundamental challenges to our democracy and an environment that has increasingly been characterized by political polarization, how can we protect our elections and support our election officials?

To discuss these important issues, we’re joined by three special guests:

Natalie Adona: Natalia Adona is the county clerk, recorder-elect, and the former assistant clerk-recorder and registrar of voters for Nevada County, California. 

Tonya Wichman: Tonya Wichman is the Director of the Defiance County Board of Elections, in Defiance, Ohio, and a certified elections and registration administrator.

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly: Gabriella Cázares-Kelly is the county recorder in Pima County, Arizona, where she made history in 2020 as the first Native American to be elected to a countywide seat.

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.

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This week, we’re continuing our coverage of the lead-up to November’s elections by looking at an institution that has become increasingly contentious over the past four years: the U.S. Supreme Court. The specter of the Court has loomed over these elections like never before—from former President Trump repeatedly taking credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and thanking the Justices he appointed for doing so, to the next president’s role in reshaping the Court. What role is the Court playing in this election cycle and how will this election cycle influence the next four years of Supreme Court rulings?

Helping us to sort through these questions and set the record straight is our very special guest,

Skye Perryman: Skye L. Perryman is President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan, national legal organization that promotes democracy and progress through litigation, regulatory engagement, policy education, and research. She previously served as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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.

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In this episode,  we're joined by the indomitable Lizz Winstead with a live studio in Washington,  D.C.  She bares all as we talk about the new documentary featuring her and Abortion Access Front (AAF), No One Asked You.  From her childhood to her own abortion story,  she tells it all, including what led her to found AAF. 

In a time when the news is increasingly dire—especially with regard to reproductive health care—do comedians have a role in sharing the news? Winstead, who forever changed the way people get their news when she co-created The Daily Show, knows better than anyone that the answer to this question is a resounding yes.

Joining me to discuss these vital topics is a very special guest:

Lizz Winstead is the co-creator and head writer of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, as well as the founder and chief creative officer of Abortion Access Front.

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.

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On this episode of On the Issues with Michele Goodwin, we review the 2019-2020 Supreme Court term. Since 1790, of the 113 individuals who have served on the Supreme Court, only four have been women.  Similarly, in over 230 years, only three justices have been persons of color—two of whom presently serve on the Court.  Under Trump, the vast majority of judges confirmed to the nation’s federal courts are white men.  Thus, in over two hundred years, very little has changed in terms of the Court’s composition.  

Where do women fit in?  How can the Court evolve in recognizing the rights of women and marginalized groups when it doesn't reflect the actual makeup of the U.S.?

On this episode, we review the 2019-2020 Supreme Court term—which has been a roller coaster, leaving many to wonder about the Court’s commitment to equality, inclusion and nondiscrimination—despite decisions that appeared to be wins for vulnerable communities. For example, despite a win in June Medical on abortion rights, the Trump administration has gutted reproductive health policies put in place during the Nixon administration—such as Title X, which provides reproductive healthcare for the poorest Americans.   As well, many concerned about racial equality view the Court as slipping in its regard for equal opportunity and the protection of due process for people of color. 

Joining Dr. Michele Goodwin as we try to understand these issues are: 

• Brigitte Amiri, deputy director at the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project. 
• Erwin Chemerinsky, dean and Jesse H. Choper distinguished professor of law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law 
• Leah Litman, assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School and co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast. 
• Franita Tolson, vice dean for faculty and academic affairs, and professor of law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. 

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On this special episode, we focus on toxic masculinity in the U.S., including online misogyny, and how it translates into real-world violence—highlighted most recently in the horrific murder of Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, and the shooting of her husband Mark Anderl.  The person assumed responsible for those tragedies is Roy Den Hollander, a self-proclaimed “men’s rights” activist—part of a growing movement of men who describe themselves as frustrated by women.  Some members of this movement are also known as “incels.” 
 
We also turn to the everyday harassment women experience—even in Congress, like in the case of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who was accosted by Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.).  Representative Yoho called her “disgusting,” “a “f***ing bitch,” and at first denied it.  Rep. Yoho claimed his “passion” got the better of him and offered what many would describe as a rambling floor speech in which his daughters and wife were centered.  However, he did not apologize.  For some women, this looked like typical workplace misogyny they endure all the time. 
 
What lessons can be drawn from these incidents and others?  Has toxic masculinity gone too far? 
 
Joining me to talk about incels, the ways in which racism intersect with misogyny in the U.S. and on the internet and the antifeminist movement are three special guests.   

• Jill Filipovic is a columnist for CNN, a contributor to the New York Times, a lawyer and the author of the forthcoming "OK BOOMER, LET'S TALK: How My Generation Got Left Behind,” as well as "The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness."

• Saida Grundy, PhD., is an assistant professor of sociology and African American studies at Boston University. Her research explores the intersection of race with masculinity, rape culture and campus sexual assault. Professor Grundy is author of the forthcoming book "Manhood Within the Margins: Promise, Peril and Paradox at the Historically Black College for Men." 

• Jackson Katz, Ph.D., is an internationally acclaimed educator, author and scholar-activist on issues of gender, race and violence. Through his books, documentaries, public speaking and articles, Katz has tackled issues of masculinity, racism and violence. 

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On today’s show, we focus on June Medical v. Russo and the future of abortion rights—a case where the Supreme Court struck down a challenge to abortion rights in Louisiana, a state in which reproductive health care access is already fraught. The law would have required all doctors performing abortions to obtain hospital admitting privileges. Even though this case has put such challenges to rest, lawmakers in Louisiana have effectively undercut women’s access to reproductive healthcare, causing clinic closures and more.  As our guests make clear, Roe is not enough.   

However, it’s not just abortion rights or pregnancy at stake, with regard to women’s health.  Reproductive justice matters, and bringing that lens into these conversations is urgent. The rise in criminalization of pregnant women for failing to comport to the state’s standards for behavior during pregnancy is alarming.  Women have been threatened with arrest for refusing C-sections, falling down steps and attempting suicide during pregnancy.  Where does this end?  What should we be concerned about?  What’s the future of Americans being able to exercise control their own reproductive futures, given the aggressive attacks at the state and federal levels?  We close considering how organizations, doctors, lawyers and activists are fighting back.

Joining us for this episode are:

-Yamani Hernandez, executive director of the National Network of Abortion Funds.

-Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

-Kathaleen Pittman, administrator of Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, La., the main plaintiff in June Medical v. Russo.

-Mary Ziegler, a Stearns Weaver Miller professor at Florida State University College of Law specializing in the legal history of reproduction, the family, sexuality and the Constitution

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On today’s show, we focus on rebuilding America from the ground up.   What will it take?  What issues should we be concerned about, which are not making the news?  For example, despite what appear to be recent triumphs at the Supreme Court with regard to LGBTQ equality, reproductive rights and DACA, many argue those victories are thin and fragile. Beyond that, as we know, underlying challenges persist, including pay inequality between men and women; Americans living beneath the poverty line without a living wage; lack of access to affordable health care; and a warming planet.  Most painfully, our democracy is at stake—clearly evidenced by voter suppression.
  
Helping us sort out how we rebuild America and should think about these issues (and more) are two very special guests: Congresswoman Katie Porter and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun. 

Congresswoman Porter represents California’s 45th Congressional district, which includes Orange County.  An expert in business and consumer law, she is also a law professor (on leave) at the University of California, Irvine. 

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun was the first African American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate, where she served from 1993-1999.  During the 20th century, she was one of only two African Americans to serve in the Senate. Subsequently, she was appointed and confirmed as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. 

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On Today’s inaugural show, we focus on policing in America, examining race, sex, and violence.  We specifically take up women and policing, elevating the stories and experiences of women.  It is a perspective often absent from mainstream conversation.  Even in recent weeks as the nation has erupted in protests related to the tragic murder of George Floyd, some might argue that the killing of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician in Louisville, Kentucky was an afterthought, even though her death too was no less inhumane, violent, and preventable.

Deirdre Fishel, Independent Film Maker, Women In Blue (2020)

Laura Goodman Retired Deputy Chief of Police (Minnesota) and former Ombudsman for Crime Victims for the State of Minnesota 

Anne Li Kringen, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Assistant Dean Department of Criminal Justice, University of New Haven, Member, International Association of Chiefs of Police Research Advisory Committee 

L. Song Richardson, Criminal law expert and Dean, University California, Irvine School of Law

It will be an episode you will not want to miss!

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TEASER: Why are women being left out of the conversations regarding policing in America?  Why are they sidelined as the victims of police violence, including Breonna Taylor?  In law enforcement, why are women not recruited and retained?  How has this influenced policing and violence in America?  Let's fill in the story.  Tune in and join us for our first episode, airing Tuesday, June 30, 2020.  We will be joined by:

Deirdre Fishel, Independent Film Maker, Women In Blue (2020)

Laura Goodman Retired Deputy Chief of Police (Minnesota) and former Ombudsman for Crime Victims for the State of Minnesota 

Anne Li Kringen, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Assistant Dean Department of Criminal Justice, University of New Haven, Member, International Association of Chiefs of Police Research Advisory Committee 

L. Song Richardson, Criminal law expert and Dean, University California, Irvine School of Law

It will be an episode you will not want to miss!

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On The Issues With Michele Goodwin at Ms. magazine is a show where we report, rebel, and tell it like it is.  On this show, we center your concerns about rebuilding our nation and advancing the promise of equality.  Join Michele Goodwin as she and guests tackle the most compelling issues of our times.

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