In 2019, Ms. Harrison became a monthly columnist for Ms. Magazine. She credits Ms. as a lifeline, during her college years, to the feminist movement; now, she writes about legal and social issues to provoke action. Below are some of her commentaries.
Will a Biden Presidency Restore Victims’ Rights? 1/21/2021 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine (Read the story below, or here at MsMagazine.com) The incoming Biden-Harris administration has a long list of tasks to accomplish in order to make society fairer and safer for victims of assault, harassment and discrimination. The last four years have not been kind to women and minorities in the United States. The outgoing Trump administration made it more difficult for victims [...]
Hindsight Is 2020: Celebrating Feminist Victories 1/14/2021 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine (Read the story below, or here at MsMagazine.com) The year that just ended was one for the record books: a global pandemic; a divided nation; a contentious election that never really seemed to end; and people of all ages, races and political persuasions uniting in protest against racial injustice in cities large and small.As we catch our collective breaths and [...]
Alas, Women – Barrett Is No Ginsburg 11/3/2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine (Read the story below, or here at MsMagazine.com) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s lifelong work to achieve equality was unrelenting while serving on the Supreme Court. On the other hand, Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court puts freedom of choice, affordable health care, marriage equality and other hard-won rights at risk. A mere month has passed since the [...]
Vote 2020: Start Planning Today August 18, 2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine (Read the story below, or here at MsMagazine.com) Get ready now to vote, make a plan, and stick to it. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment. One hundred years later, the country has its first African American and first South Asian vice presidential candidate in California Senator Kamala Harris. But this is not [...]
No Mercy for Women in the Religious Workplace July 28, 2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine (Read the story below, or at MsMagazine.com) It’s a brand-new day under Title VII for gay and transgender people in the workplace—but the U.S. Supreme Court says it’s another century for people employed by religious organizations. In two cases brought on behalf of women educators employed by parochial schools, the nation’s highest court handed religious employers [...]
LGBTQ Rights: There’s a Lot More Work to Do June 26, 2020 — Guest Commentary by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine (Read the story below, or at MsMagazine.com) It was as if the Red Sea parted on June 15 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that members of the LGBTQ community are protected against workplace discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It is infuriating that it has taken 56 years [...]
Know Your Rights: This Pandemic Is a “Women’s Virus” April 27, 2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine Though COVID-19 appears to be more deadly for men, women bear a unique burden from the disease. More than 70 percent of healthcare workers in the U.S. are women. Women provide the vast majority of primary care for children and seniors. Women are more likely to work in jobs that cannot be done remotely and to lack health insurance, [...]
Do Women Still Need the Equal Rights Amendment? Yes. Here’s Why. March 17, 2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine On January 15, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA, originally passed in 1972, was an attempt to enshrine in the U.S. Constitution the idea that all American citizens regardless of gender have equal rights “in terms of divorce, property, employment, and other matters.” It should [...]
Harvey Weinstein’s Case Relies on Weaponizing the Effects of Trauma February 6, 2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine The Harvey Weinstein trial is historic—not only because of the accusations against the Hollywood mogul, but also because of the number of women sharing their stories about formerly unspeakable abuse at his hands. I represent two victims in their civil cases against Weinstein. I know that this #MeToo moment is unprecedented, a sea change [...]
Why Women Should Be Worried About Trump’s Judicial Appointments January 3, 2020 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine President Trump has now appointed 26 percent of the country’s federal judges, all of whom were vetted by the ultra-conservative Federalist Society and now have lifetime appointments. He also more infamously appointed two Supreme Court justices. All of this was made possible by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who blocked nominees until Trump was in office [...]
Forced Arbitration Isn’t Fair July 8, 2019 — by Genie Harrison for Ms. Magazine If you’ve ever been sexually harassed or discriminated against at work, the FAIR Act is about you. Like most workers, you probably signed an agreement when you were hired that requires any disputes you have with your employer to go to arbitration. In order to get a job, you were forced to waive your constitutional right to sue in court. [...]