“When social movements engage in legal reform, they often mobilize images of people from their constituent population who most match national norms about what "deserving citizens" are like, and use those people as spokespeople and as lead plaintiffs in legal cases. This strategy requires that people who are experiencing intersectional harm - who are vulnerable through multiple vectors of demonization and marginalization - be further marginalized and disappeared by the advocacy.” PeopleUseSocialCasesMovementCitizensStrategyPopulationHarmVulnerableReformMultipleNormDeservingConstituentsAdvocacyMarginalizedSocial MovementsMarginalizationVectorsSpokespeople Author:Dean Spade
“Legal reform has significant dangers: changing only the window-dressing of harmful systems but leaving the violence of the systems in tact, failing to provide actual relief for those facing the worst conditions, and legitimizing or expanding systems of harm.” ViolenceFailingWorstConditionsDangerWindowLeavingHarmSignificantReformReliefDressingsExpandingTactWindow Dressing Author:Dean Spade
“We should understand that in the context of the US, where our legal system is based in settler colonialism, capitalism and white supremacy, changing laws will never sufficiently change the conditions of harm and violence our movements seek to transform.” ShouldLawWhiteViolenceConditionsMovementCapitalismHarmColonialismWhite SupremacySupremacyLegal SystemSettlers Author:Dean Spade
“We should interact with legal reform tactically, knowing that it will not meet our ultimate goals but asking whether there are ways that engaging with particular reforms might benefit our work and help reduce certain harms or dangers.” WayShouldHelpingMightCertainGoalKnowingDangerParticularBenefitsUltimateAskingHarmReformEngagingUltimate Goal Author:Dean Spade
“When we approach legal reform work, we can ask questions like: Will this provide actual relief to people facing violence or harm or will it primarily be a symbolic change? Will this divide our constituency by offering relief only to people with certain privileged statuses (such as people with lawful immigration status, people with jobs, married people, etc.)?” PeopleJobsCertainAsksViolenceApproachMarriedHarmImmigrationReformReliefEtcDividesOfferingPrivilegedSymbolic Author:Dean Spade
