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Quote by Dean Spade

“Critical Race Theory offers a critique of how law and certain law reform strategies misunderstand the actual operation of life-shortening state violence, and how that has produced a set of reforms that fail to actually transform material conditions of white supremacy. These critiques redirect our attention to the conditions we aim to transform.”

Quote by Dean Spade

Author

Dean Spade, born in 1977, is a writer whose work primarily focuses on social issues such as gender, race, and class, exploring their manifestation in law, politics, and social movements. more

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“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.”

“Legal reform organizations are usually trying to portray their constituents as "hard workers," as "not criminals," as citizens, as part of normative family arrangements, and as conforming to white norms as much as possible. When these strategies are used, the most dangerous conditions and the people who are most vulnerable cannot be discussed or addressed.”

People Trying Hard Used White Conditions Dangerous Hard Work Citizens Organization Strategy Workers Criminals Vulnerable Reform Arrangements Conform Norm Constituents Hard Worker

Author:Dean Spade

“In addition to encouraging us to participate in narratives of "deservingness" that cast large parts of our constituencies as "undeserving," legal reform strategies encourage us to valorize harmful systems that our movements should be seeking to dismantle.”

Should Movement Strategy Casts Seeking Reform Narrative Undeserving

Author:Dean Spade

“We have seen the most well-funded gay and lesbian rights organizations valorize the US military in their work seeking inclusion in military service.”

Wells Rights Military Gay Organization Seeking Inclusion Military Service Us Military

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.”

Violence Failing Worst Conditions Danger Window Leaving Harm Significant Reform Relief Dressings Expanding Tact Window Dressing

Author:Dean Spade

“I am not arguing that we should never use legal reform as a tactic. Instead, I argue that it should not be a goal.”

Should Use Goal Arguing Reform Tactics

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.”

Should Law White Violence Conditions Movement Capitalism Harm Colonialism White Supremacy Supremacy Legal System Settlers

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.”

Way Should Helping Might Certain Goal Knowing Danger Particular Benefits Ultimate Asking Harm Reform Engaging Ultimate 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.)?”

People Jobs Certain Asks Violence Approach Married Harm Immigration Reform Relief Etc Divides Offering Privileged Symbolic

Author:Dean Spade

“Music is a safe kind of high.”

Kind Music Safe Music Is

Author:Jimi Hendrix