Democracy
Our democracy should be of the people, by the people, and for the people. But thanks to years of gerrymandering, partisan gridlock, the sharp increase in extremist conservative activism within the courts, and the gutting of our fundamental rights—that democracy is now of, by, and for the wealthy and the few. We can’t have a true and functioning democracy when women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ communities are seeing their rights eroded and attacked by public and private institutions.
To fix this, we demand that:
- Our democratic systems represent the will of the public
- Elected leaders and judges are held accountable
- Voters have full impact on how our communities are governed.
Leaders are committed to advancing gender justice as well as protecting our democratic institutions and our system of check and balances to ensure no branch acts with impunity.
We need a judiciary bound by a strong ethics code to ensure federal judges and justices do not abuse their lifetime tenure. Judges are public servants who exist to equitably protect fundamental civil and constitutional rights—not to advance a partisan agenda or to personally benefit from their positions of power. We must use the power of our votes to reshape our courts so that our judges and justices support equal rights under the law for all, especially for women, families, and people of color.
A sound democracy is key to advancing and defending gender justice. But a true democracy is one in which every person has equal protection under our laws, can fully participate in our democratic systems, and has equal opportunity to thrive—regardless of their gender identity, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
Politicians and lawmakers need to prioritize strengthening our democratic infrastructure and our courts to create a level playing field, restore fundamental protections and civil rights, and protections to both restore and prevent future threats to our democratic systems.
Supreme Court and Nominations
The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and laws that impact the rights and lives of women and their families, as well as those of LGBTQ+ communities. In recent years and during this term, the Court has taken on issues ranging from access to abortion and birth control coverage to equal pay, taxes, and sexual harassment, as well as other vital issues that have a major impact on the lives of women and their families. We have to ensure that the justices on the Supreme Court Supreme Court who consider these cases support equal rights under the law and understand the purpose and real-world impact of the Constitution and the laws on women and girls.
The historic confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court laid the groundwork for transforming our judiciary to reflect the rich diversity of our country with justices and judges committed to equal justice and equal rights under the law. Justice Jackson is the first former public defender and the first Black woman to serve on the high court, and we have to ensure she won’t be the last.