Kate Redburn
@kredburn.bsky.social
Associate Prof. and Director, Center for Gender & Sexuality Law, Columbia Law School.
Pinned
Kate Redburn
@kredburn.bsky.social
· Nov 14
<i>Skrmetti </i>Beyond Scrutiny
<p><span>In United States v. Skrmetti, </span><span>the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee </span><span>Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a state law that prohibits t
papers.ssrn.com
In Skrmetti, the Supreme Court put hundreds of thousands of kids in harm's way while inflicting damage on the larger project of sex equality for all. My latest in Harvard Law Review:
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
As the press makes sense of the arguments in the transgender athlete cases today, you're likely to see one exchange between Justice Gorsuch and Deputy SG Mooppan (like this one from NPR) www.npr.org/2026/01/13/n.... Why?
Supreme Court appears likely to uphold state bans on transgender athletes
To date, 27 states have enacted laws barring transgender participation in sports.
www.npr.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:16 PM
As the press makes sense of the arguments in the transgender athlete cases today, you're likely to see one exchange between Justice Gorsuch and Deputy SG Mooppan (like this one from NPR) www.npr.org/2026/01/13/n.... Why?
Reposted by Kate Redburn
Notice that the US govt as amicus is now arguing that transgender people can't complain about being treated unequally as a despised politically powerless minority via a sex-based classification because they're too small a minority. That's . . . uhm . . . interesting?
January 13, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Notice that the US govt as amicus is now arguing that transgender people can't complain about being treated unequally as a despised politically powerless minority via a sex-based classification because they're too small a minority. That's . . . uhm . . . interesting?
I could really go for less of this Michael M hypothetical from Mooppan
January 13, 2026 at 4:04 PM
I could really go for less of this Michael M hypothetical from Mooppan
As arguments begin in the transgender athletes cases, a few things to keep in mind:
January 13, 2026 at 3:09 PM
As arguments begin in the transgender athletes cases, a few things to keep in mind:
Reposted by Kate Redburn
I'll be live-skeeting the oral argument in the transgender athletes cases at the top of the next hour. (A "skeet" is the BlueSky equivalent of a tweet.) Expect snark and rage--unless I'm very pleasantly surprised. Meanwhile, here's the brief I signed as a lawyer and as an amicus.
www.supremecourt.gov
January 13, 2026 at 2:17 PM
I'll be live-skeeting the oral argument in the transgender athletes cases at the top of the next hour. (A "skeet" is the BlueSky equivalent of a tweet.) Expect snark and rage--unless I'm very pleasantly surprised. Meanwhile, here's the brief I signed as a lawyer and as an amicus.
Plus ca change . . .
January 8, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Plus ca change . . .
Reposted by Kate Redburn
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
January 6, 2026 at 2:00 AM
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
Reposted by Kate Redburn
“Critics have likened Mr. Trump’s approach to extortion, while others agree it’s extortion but aren’t critics.”
How did the @nytimes.com editors let this sentence appear?
"Critics have likened Mr. Trump’s approach to extortion, while others have chalked it up as a cost of doing business with this administration."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
"Critics have likened Mr. Trump’s approach to extortion, while others have chalked it up as a cost of doing business with this administration."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Northwestern University Nears Deal to Resolve Its Conflict With the White House
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:36 PM
“Critics have likened Mr. Trump’s approach to extortion, while others agree it’s extortion but aren’t critics.”
sometimes a beautiful book arrives at just the right time. cannot recommend @riislover667.bsky.social’s This Watery Place highly enough!
November 25, 2025 at 3:40 PM
sometimes a beautiful book arrives at just the right time. cannot recommend @riislover667.bsky.social’s This Watery Place highly enough!
Reposted by Kate Redburn
My moderating skills were a little rusty, but this event still turned out SO GREAT thanks to @sandynurse.bsky.social & @ngusdorf.bsky.social!!
If you want to learn about how NYC government works (we get deep into the city budget) you absolutely can't miss this event!!
youtu.be/kTZb8XlVJs0
If you want to learn about how NYC government works (we get deep into the city budget) you absolutely can't miss this event!!
youtu.be/kTZb8XlVJs0
Local Power
YouTube video by LPE Project
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 7:25 PM
My moderating skills were a little rusty, but this event still turned out SO GREAT thanks to @sandynurse.bsky.social & @ngusdorf.bsky.social!!
If you want to learn about how NYC government works (we get deep into the city budget) you absolutely can't miss this event!!
youtu.be/kTZb8XlVJs0
If you want to learn about how NYC government works (we get deep into the city budget) you absolutely can't miss this event!!
youtu.be/kTZb8XlVJs0
In Skrmetti, the Supreme Court put hundreds of thousands of kids in harm's way while inflicting damage on the larger project of sex equality for all. My latest in Harvard Law Review:
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
<i>Skrmetti </i>Beyond Scrutiny
<p><span>In United States v. Skrmetti, </span><span>the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee </span><span>Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a state law that prohibits t
papers.ssrn.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:20 PM
In Skrmetti, the Supreme Court put hundreds of thousands of kids in harm's way while inflicting damage on the larger project of sex equality for all. My latest in Harvard Law Review:
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Kate Redburn
In the Harvard Law Review, @kredburn.bsky.social has a new piece explaining what happened in Skrmetti, and what it means for trans rights and sex equality more broadly.
Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny - Harvard Law Review
In United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a state law that prohibits transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming care.
harvardlawreview.org
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
In the Harvard Law Review, @kredburn.bsky.social has a new piece explaining what happened in Skrmetti, and what it means for trans rights and sex equality more broadly.
Reposted by Kate Redburn
Out today in HLR, my piece Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny. What happened, what it means for trans rights and sex equality more broadly: harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-13...
Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny - Harvard Law Review
In United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a state law that prohibits transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming care.
harvardlawreview.org
November 11, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Out today in HLR, my piece Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny. What happened, what it means for trans rights and sex equality more broadly: harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-13...
Out today in HLR, my piece Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny. What happened, what it means for trans rights and sex equality more broadly: harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-13...
Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny - Harvard Law Review
In United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), a state law that prohibits transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming care.
harvardlawreview.org
November 11, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Out today in HLR, my piece Skrmetti Beyond Scrutiny. What happened, what it means for trans rights and sex equality more broadly: harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-13...
to be clear: the government's claim - validated by the Court - is that it would *irreparably harm* the president to not misgender trans people
NEW: On the shadow docket, the Supreme Court lets Trump resume misgendering trans Americans on their passports, claiming "the government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment." All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
![This case concerns an Executive Branch policy requiring
all new passports to display an individual’s biological sex at
birth. The United States District Court for the District of
Massachusetts preliminarily enjoined the Government
from enforcing the policy, and the First Circuit declined to
stay the injunction pending appeal. The Government then
filed this stay application. Applying our familiar stay fac-
tors at this preliminary stage, we grant the application.
Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends
equal protection principles than displaying their country of
birth—in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to
a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential
treatment. And on this record, respondents have failed to
establish that the Government’s choice to display biological
sex “lack[s] any purpose other than a bare . . . desire to
harm a politically unpopular group.” Trump v. Hawaii, 585
U. S. 667, 705 (2018) (internal quotation marks omitted).
Nor are respondents likely to prevail in arguing that the
State Department acted arbitrarily and capriciously by de-
clining to depart from Presidential rules that Congress ex-
pressly required it to follow. See 22 U. S. C. §211a.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6h7b2i6ttw3l4t7pvbvxdith/bafkreiacrtgoecxjy5y7ojz7xzbun4c4nwutjcvqn4qb4p25ldpt6va5lu@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 11:01 PM
to be clear: the government's claim - validated by the Court - is that it would *irreparably harm* the president to not misgender trans people
Worth reading the dissent in this horrible order - Justice Jackson points to the pattern of emergency docket abuse and the absurdity of the government's claims.
BREAKING: SCOTUS lets Trump administration implement anti-trans, anti-nonbinary passport policy.
The Democratic appointees, led by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. The ruling, which applies during litigation, effectively reverses two lower court rulings.
Today, at Law Dork:
The Democratic appointees, led by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. The ruling, which applies during litigation, effectively reverses two lower court rulings.
Today, at Law Dork:
Breaking: SCOTUS lets Trump administration implement anti-trans, anti-nonbinary passport policy
The Democratic appointees, led by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. The ruling, which applies during litigation, effectively reverses two lower court rulings.
www.lawdork.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Worth reading the dissent in this horrible order - Justice Jackson points to the pattern of emergency docket abuse and the absurdity of the government's claims.
Reposted by Kate Redburn
You African Studies majors out there: you too can become mayor of New York City!!!
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 AM
You African Studies majors out there: you too can become mayor of New York City!!!
Reposted by Kate Redburn
Excited about the first @lpenyc.bsky.social Night School event of the new academic year, now at @cuny.edu Law — with @masonbwilliams.bsky.social and Gregory Louis in conversation with @llchristyll.bsky.social!!
RSVP below!
RSVP below!
How NYC Became So Unequal
Ever wonder why CUNY is no longer free? Confused why the subway fare keeps rising while service declines? Join LPE NYC on October 23 at 6:30pm for a conversation between Professors Gregory Louis and…
lpeproject.org
October 12, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Excited about the first @lpenyc.bsky.social Night School event of the new academic year, now at @cuny.edu Law — with @masonbwilliams.bsky.social and Gregory Louis in conversation with @llchristyll.bsky.social!!
RSVP below!
RSVP below!
Such a pleasure to join @imarajones.bsky.social on @translash.org to talk about the history of anti-queer and trans surveillance
This week on TransLash Podcast, @imarajones.bsky.social sits down with @kredburn.bsky.social and @ziembavision.bsky.social to discuss the DHS rolling back limitations on surveillance based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
🎧 Listen now: linktr.ee/translashmedia
🎧 Listen now: linktr.ee/translashmedia
September 21, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Such a pleasure to join @imarajones.bsky.social on @translash.org to talk about the history of anti-queer and trans surveillance
Reposted by Kate Redburn
Genevieve Lakier is who everyone should be reading on the risks of government jawboning in the Jimmy Kimmel case. @genevievelakier.bsky.social
September 19, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Genevieve Lakier is who everyone should be reading on the risks of government jawboning in the Jimmy Kimmel case. @genevievelakier.bsky.social
Part of the success of “cancel culture” as a meme is that it makes dissimilar activity look the same. Protesting a speaker is not the same as shunning sexual predators is not the same as the federal government silencing dissent.
“What we’re seeing is an unprecedented attempt to silence disfavored speech by the government,” said Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth College. “Donald Trump is trying to dictate what Americans can say.” https://to.pbs.org/46AYg7U
Trump's moves against media outlets mirror authoritarian approaches to silencing dissent
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has waged an aggressive campaign against the media unlike any in modern U.S. history, making moves similar to those of authoritarian leaders that...
to.pbs.org
September 19, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Part of the success of “cancel culture” as a meme is that it makes dissimilar activity look the same. Protesting a speaker is not the same as shunning sexual predators is not the same as the federal government silencing dissent.
Reposted by Kate Redburn
I wrote a book that I hope helps people think about the relationship between law, science, social movements, &political economy.
It tells the story of how feminists transformed the response to AIDS to ensure better access to healthcare.
Avail for preorder!
www.cambridge.org/core/books/r...
It tells the story of how feminists transformed the response to AIDS to ensure better access to healthcare.
Avail for preorder!
www.cambridge.org/core/books/r...
Risk and Resistance
Cambridge Core - American Studies - Risk and Resistance
www.cambridge.org
September 12, 2025 at 7:45 PM
I wrote a book that I hope helps people think about the relationship between law, science, social movements, &political economy.
It tells the story of how feminists transformed the response to AIDS to ensure better access to healthcare.
Avail for preorder!
www.cambridge.org/core/books/r...
It tells the story of how feminists transformed the response to AIDS to ensure better access to healthcare.
Avail for preorder!
www.cambridge.org/core/books/r...
It can be hard to keep up with all the ways the feds are going after trans folks- really helpful analysis of concerning developments at FTC from @lookheron.bsky.social
NEW: @lookheron.bsky.social evaluates the FTC’s transformation into a political tool to advance a conservative social agenda. He argues that no initiative better exemplifies the agency’s politicization than its investigation into gender-affirming care that threatens transgender rights and autonomy.
The FTC’s Investigation Into Gender-Affirming Care Exemplifies Its Impressment Into the Culture Wars - ProMarket
Luke Herrine evaluates the Federal Trade Commission’s transformation into a political tool to advance a conservative social agenda. He argues that no FTC initiative better exemplifies the agency’s politicization than its investigation into gender-affirming care that threatens transgender rights and autonomy.
www.promarket.org
September 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
It can be hard to keep up with all the ways the feds are going after trans folks- really helpful analysis of concerning developments at FTC from @lookheron.bsky.social
Reposted by Kate Redburn
There are two big legal issues when states try to fill gaps in fed health insurance regulations: (1) the insurance issue is more likely to require new state legislation than the pharmacy issue & (2) states can’t touch two of the biggest types of insurance - “self-insured” employer plans & Medicare
September 5, 2025 at 2:39 PM
There are two big legal issues when states try to fill gaps in fed health insurance regulations: (1) the insurance issue is more likely to require new state legislation than the pharmacy issue & (2) states can’t touch two of the biggest types of insurance - “self-insured” employer plans & Medicare