student resources
- con law primer
- course survey
- easy events in an envelope
- fact sheets - UPDATED!
- human rights law primer - UPDATED!
- internship and fellowship guide - UPDATED!
- newsletters - NEW!
- links to other online resources
- model curriculum
- resource guide - UPDATED!
- speakers directory
- student activist e-binder - NEW!
- webinars
con law primer
A new tool designed to fill in the gaps left by many Constitutional Law courses around reproductive rights. Use it to round out your education, get ahead of the curve, and equip your members with the information they need to be classroom advocates, cultivating robust discussions around these often under-covered issues.
Download PDF
course survey NEWLY UPDATED with 2010-11 data!
Survey results counting the reproductive rights law and justice course offerings at all American Bar Association-approved law schools since LSRJ’s founding in 2003. Read the LSRJ Press Release here.
Download the 2011 Reproductive Rights Law & Justice Course Survey (PDF)
easy events in an envelope
Want to put on an event but can't come up with any ideas?
Don't have time to put something together from scratch?
Not sure how to get people to care, let alone come to an event?
Don't worry—you're covered with LSRJ's Easy Events in an Envelope (EEE). Campus activism just doesn't get any easier than this! We've taken care of the heavy lifting and front-end planning, so all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions and voila! you're ready to host a successful, popular event. EEEs are self-contained toolkits complete with background information on the featured issues, a description of the suggested event, instructions for execution, lists of other resources for more information, suggested co-sponsors, handouts, and flyers for publicity. Student Coordinators can request them from the national office by sending an email to info@lsrj.org.
- Abortion Access in the Americas: This EEE has three components: (1) a film screening, (2) handouts for peer education, and (3) attention-grabbing posters. You will find information about recent gains and setbacks in abortion access in the Americas, with particular focus on the countries of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Uruguay. We suggest that you screen a thought-provoking film and that you hang the posters in highly visible locations in your law school to educate your fellow students about this important and timely topic.
- Abortion Providers as Human Rights Defenders - NEW!: This EEE provides structure for a panel discussion on your campus that explores how access to abortion can be (and often is) framed as a human right, what remedies are available for violations of human rights standards, federal law, and local ordinances, and how those who provide abortion care face a multitude of challenges while defending and fulfilling this right.
- Before Roe v. Wade - NEW!: The book, Before Roe v. Wade: Voices That Shaped the Abortion Debate Before the Supreme Court’s Ruling, offers an in-depth look at the different voices that shaped the debate around abortion prior to the Roe ruling in 1973. Often, discussion of this seminal Supreme Court decision tends to obscure the political, legal, and social landscape before the case worked its way through the court system. Thus, Before Roe v. Wade seeks to illuminate the environment into which Roe landed—revealing how the seeds of the contemporary abortion wars were in fact planted in the late 60s and early 70s. This EEE will provide you with the tools necessary to guide a book group on your campus, structure an in-class presentation, or write a research paper based on the primary documents presented in the book.
- Campus Reproductive Healthcare Project: EC Access and HPV Vaccine Coverage: This EEE is designed to support LSRJ chapters in approaching their campus health centers about access to emergency contraceptives (EC) and coverage of the HPV vaccine. The goals of the project are to learn more, raise awareness, and effect change so that students know where to access EC in their community and to advocate for campus health centers to provide HPV vaccine and subsidize or cover the cost under the student health insurance plan.
- Global Reproductive Rights: We have teamed up with Ipas to provide you everything you need - event ideas, materials, speakers, and films - the execute high-caliber events. Qualifying events may explore international human rights standards in relation to sexual and reproductive rights, U.S. foreign policy and its impact on reproductive rights, and immigrants or refugees' access to reproductive health care.
- It’s All About Power & Control: Intimate Partner Violence & Reproductive Oppression - NEW!: Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence are tragic phenomena that cut across all income levels, genders, races, religions, locations, and relationship types. This EEE will provide structure for a panel conversation on your campus that explores what reproductive oppression looks like when it comes at the ends of an intimate partner. We designed this EEE to show that law students don't have to work in silos for a single stated cause. Indeed, we can learn how our causes, clients, and communities overlap and intersect, so that we can better advocate for change.
- Maternal and Infant Mortality Here and Abroad - NEW!: This event is designed to raise awareness about issues related to maternal health and infant mortality that are not often addressed domestically or internationally. More than two women die every day in the United States from pregnancy-related cause, and accessing reproductive healthcare is a constant challenge for many women abroad. Reproductive justice includes the right to safe motherhood, and increasing awareness of these issues on your law school campus is essential. This EEE includes a fact sheet on maternal and infant mortality and information on holding a fundraiser.
- Poisonous Polish: Toxic Exposure and Health Risks to Nail Salon Workers: This event will help you raise awareness on your campus of a common phenomenon that is not commonly known about nail salon workers and the reproductive health risks they face every day. You will be tabling to provide both information and an opportunity to improve the situation by signing a letter to your congressperson to ask for improved FDA regulation of nail products and chemicals used in nail salons. This unique event has broad appeal, lends itself automatically to co-sponsorship, demonstrates the wide expanse of health issues reached by reproductive justice, and allows busy law students to take quick and easy actions with far-reaching effects.
- Pro-faith—Pro-choice—Pro-claim! (funding available): This EEE provides you with information to help you invite clergy, religious scholars, or other spiritual leaders for a panel discussion to talk about the way their belief system deals with reproductive Justice issues.
- Reproductive Justice 101: the Fundamentals - NEW & IMPROVED!: Use this EEE to introduce law students to the reproductive justice framework. You'll find everything you need to plan and execute an interesting and informative event that will educate new and returning LSRJ members, as well as professors, administrators, and community members (including a poster series to help you promote your event).
- Sex Ed on School Suspension: The Truth about Federally Funded Abstinence-only Programs and Sexual Health: This EEE contains programming materials for two related mini-events focusing on federally funded abstinence-only education and prevalent misconceptions about sexual health. Use the enclosed questions and answers to hold a fundraiser or trivia night! You can also use the enclosed script to lead a simulated abstinence-only lesson. Law students may be shocked to see what our youth are actually being taught in public schools.
- Shackled During Labor: Medieval Practice, Modern Policy—Prisoners' Access to Reproductive Healthcare: This tabling event focuses on the practice of shackling pregnant prisoners during labor and delivery imposed by many federal and state prisons throughout the country. The goal of this event is to persuade state corrections departments to discontinue this archair, inhumane practice by focusing on the legal aspects of the issue.
fact sheets
LSRJ Fact Sheets cover a panoply of reproductive health, rights, and justice issues. They offer a hotbed of ideas for events, papers, and fellowship projects. Fact sheets also make terrific handouts for quick peer education.
Access to Reproductive Services
- Abortion Access in the Americas: Country Specific
- Access to Abortion Around the World
- Contraception & Emergency Contraception
- Funding for Reproductive Health Care
Legislative Regulation of Reproductive Services
Historically Marginalized Groups
- Intersex Rights and Reproductive Justice
- LGBQQ Reproductive Justice
- Minors' Reproductive Rights & Health
- Poisonous Polish: Toxic Exposure and Health Risks to Nail Salon Workers
- Reproductive Justice in the Prison System
- Reproductive Justice in the Transgender Community
- Sex Trade and Sex Trafficking
- Women of Color and the Struggle for Reproductive Justice
- Women with Disabilities
Reproductive Justice and SCOTUS
- Anti-Choice Clinic Protests & Violence—First Amendment
- Major U.S. Supreme Court Rulings on Reproductive Rights
International Reproductive Rights
- International Human Rights: Protections and Violations Related to Reproductive Rights
- U.S. Foreign Policy
And more current reproductive justice issues
- Abstinence-Only Education
- Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
- Emerging Issues in Reproductive Law & Policy
- Fetal Rights
- Maternal and Infant Mortality in the US
- Religious Hospitals, Mergers & Refusal Clauses
human rights law primer, second edition UPDATED!
Now in its second edition, the Primer is a tool designed to fill in the gaps left by many International Law and Human Rights courses around reproductive rights. Use it to round out your education, get ahead of the curve, and equip your members with the information they need to be classroom advocates, cultivating robust discussions around these often under-covered issues.
Download Human Rights Law Primer PDF
internship and fellowship guide UPDATED!
The guide contains listings for legal internships and fellowships at over 75 non-profit organizations across the country. Each entry includes information about the organization's mission, contact and application information, and details about projects and requirements.
Download 11-12 Internship & Fellowship Guide
newsletters
Take a look through our previous newsletters to learn more about LSRJ programming, spotlights on our chapters and alumni, and more. Spring 2011 Winter 2011 Fall 2010 - Alumni Newsletter Fall 2010 Summer 2010 Spring 2010links to other online resources
In addition to the resources provided in the LSRJ Student Activist Binder, there are a number of websites that can lead you to helpful and current information on sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice issues. Here's a list of some of our most frequently referenced websites.
Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Organizations
- Abortion Access Project
- Alan Guttmacher Institute
- American Civil Liberties Union, Reproductive Freedom Project
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice
- Black Women for Wellness
- Catholics for Choice
- Center for Reproductive Rights
- Choice USA
- Clinicians for Choice
- Expanding the Movement for Empowerment and Reproductive Justice (EMERJ)
- Family Planning Councils of America (FPCA)
- Feminist Majority
- Feminist Women's Health Center
- Generations Ahead
- Indigenous Women's Reproductive Rights and Pro-Choice page
- International Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- Kaiser Family Foundation Women's Health Section
- Medical Students for Choice
- MergerWatch
- National Abortion Federation
- NARAL Pro-choice America
- National Advocates for Pregnant Women
- National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
- National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
- National Organization for Women
- National Partnership for Women and Families
- National Women's Health Information Center
- National Women's Health Network
- National Women's Law Center
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
- Sexuality and Information Council of the United States
- SisterSong
- Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom (SYRF)
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
- Women's Health Specialists
- Women's Human Rights Net
- World Health Organization Gender and Reproductive Rights page
- Youth Action for Sex Education
Progressive Legal Organizations
- American Civil Liberties Union
- American Constitution Society
- Human Rights Campaign
- Lavender Law
- National Center for Lesbian Rights
- National Lawyers Guild
- Pride Law Fund
- Transgender Law Center
model curriculum
Lobby for a new seminar, create a reading group, or conduct your own independent study in reproductive rights and justice using the newly revised Model Curriculum. It's divided into 12 modules and easily adapted to meet a range of course units and a variety of familiarity levels among students.
Download PDF
resource guide UPDATED!
An annually updated compilation of law journal articles, news media articles, cases, books, films, and television shows on reproductive health, rights, and justice issues—everything from abortion bans to xenophobic zealots. Use it for research and writing projects, or for your own information. Click on each link below to download the guide.
speakers directory
Connect with advocates, professionals, and practitioners all over the country who would be delighted to speak about reproductive justice at your campus events. If you've heard a spectacular speaker recently, please let LSRJ know and we'll add them to the directory.
Download the 2010-11 Speakers Directory
student activist e-binder NEW!
This brand-new e-binder contains everything you need as a chapter leader to help you build chapter capacity, strengthen relationships with other student organizations, and hone your campus activistm and leadership skills. Contact info at lsrj dot org to access these documents, and good luck with your chapter leadership this year!
This section will introduce you to the RJ framework and the LSRJ organization, as well as provide an outline of the remaining sections.
Section 2 - Organizing:
Starting a Chapter Learn how to get an LSRJ chapter up and running on your campus! Note: You can download Sample Bylaws and a Sample Constitution under "Organizing Tools" below.
Leadership Structure & Delegating Tasks While leadership structure varies from campus to campus, here are some suggestions to help you run an effective e-board.
Funding a Chapter Includes tips on obtaining funding from a variety of sources.
Forming Coalitions Helping our chapters build meaningful and multi-issue coalitions is a priority of the national office, check out this resource for helpful tips.
Recruiting 1Ls One of the most effective ways to ensure chapter sustainability and strength is to offer 1Ls the opportunity to join the chapter leadership.
Diversifying Membership LSRJ seeks to create and sustain a membership that is representative of a diverse group of law students; one of the top priorities of LSRJ is to promote cultural, economic, social, sexual orientation, and gender diversity among its chapter leadership.
Academic Advocacy Take your RJ advocacy to another level by working with your colleagues to ensure that in-class exposure to reproductive rights is accurate and comprehensive. Or, advocate for a stand-alone reproductive health, rights, and policy course!
Using the Media Check out this quick guide for tips on working with the media to spread your message.
501(c)(3) Limits on Political Activism As an affiliate of a 501(c)(3) organization, your chapter may not engage in lobbying. All chapter leaders should read this memo to learn more about limits on political activism.
Memo re Use of LSRJ Logo Please read through this memo to get a better understanding of which logo your chapter is required to use.
Organizing Tools
Sample Bylaws and Sample Constitution
Sign Up Sheet No need to create your own!
Chapter Logo All LSRJ chapters are required to use a chapter logo, not the national logo. See "Memo re Use of LSRJ Logo" above for more detail.
Meeting Journal Keep track of decisions reached at every meeting and hand these journals off to your incoming leadership board at the end of the year to provide them with a snapshot of the previous year.
Campus Event Journal A great way to document successes and challenges in your campus programming; your successors will thank you!
Regional Event Journal Every year, LSRJ hosts five regional conferences. Use this tool to document the information you learned, how you secured funding, and more! You can do the same for the Leadership Institute by using the National Event Journal.
Transition Memo Using this memo is key to a successful leadership transition!
Section 3 - Suggested Events and Project Ideas:
This section provides you with a wide range of event ideas, as well as a list of all materials you can obtain from the national office for fundraising and visibility purposes! Download a copy of our NEW AND IMPROVED, full-color monthly calendar that provides suggestions for every single month of the 2011-2012 school year - it will look great hanging up in your LSRJ office!
And of course, our Easy-Events-in-an-Envelope (EEEs) are available from the national office; they are a quick and effective way to educate your colleagues about the breadth and depth of reproductive justice issues. We've done most of the work for you!
webinars
Each year for four Wednesdays in October, LSRJ and the National Women's Law Center present four webinars to our chapter members, alumni, and supporters around the country. The webinar series, entitled "If You Really Care...," focused on the intersection between Reproductive Justice and four critical social justice issues. Past webinars have included the intersection of RJ and Criminal Justice, Educational Equity, Environmental Justice, Intimate Partner Violence, LGBT Issues, and Racial Discrimination. Click on each of the links below to access the powerpoint presentation used in each webinar and a fact sheet for each intersection. To view each webinar in its entirety (powerpoint and audio), please visit the NWLC website.
Reproductive Justice and Criminal Justice
2011:Reproductive Justice and Educational Equity
2010:Reproductive Justice and Environmental Justice
2011: 2010: Environmental Justice Powerpoint
Environmental Justice Fact Sheet
Reproductive Justice and Intimate Partner Violence
2010:Reproductive Justice and LGBT Rights
2011:Webinar featuring Ashland Johnson, NWLC, and Maya Rupert, National Center for Lesbian Rights
Reproductive Justice and Racial Discrimination
2011:Webinar featuring Jill Morrison, NWLC Senior Counsel, and Loretta Ross, SisterSong
2010:
Take a look at our past newsletters for more information on LSRJ programming, staff comings and goings, spotlights on our chapters and alumni, and more!