Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Law Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Discrimination

Selected Works

PDF

Sharon E. Rush

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Law

Lessons From And For "Disabled" Students, Sharon E. Rush May 2014

Lessons From And For "Disabled" Students, Sharon E. Rush

Sharon E. Rush

The traditional understanding of "disabled" means to have a physical, mental, or emotional limitation. It is unfortunate that the word has negative connotations because we all have the ability to do some things and not others. An individual's disabilities, traditional or otherwise, do not diminish the person or detract from the universal tenet that all people are inherently equal and entitled to be treated with dignity. Generally, it is unproductive to compare the circumstances of one group with another for the purpose of discerning which group has it better or worse. Struggles by different groups to achieve equality have different …


Talking About Race And Equality, Sharon E. Rush May 2014

Talking About Race And Equality, Sharon E. Rush

Sharon E. Rush

Lots of people of different races are increasingly uncomfortable talking about race. They prefer to function in a colorblind society where they insist that race is irrelevant. Not surprisingly, the concept of racial silencing is consistent with the concept of colorblindness. Logically, it seems impossible to talk about race if we are not even supposed to see it. The idea seems to be that if people who believe in racial equality magically stopped seeing and talking about race they could avoid the negativity surrounding racial issues and just hope that the inequality would fix itself. But we know that if …


If Black Is So Special, Then Why Isn't It In The Rainbow?, Sharon E. Rush May 2014

If Black Is So Special, Then Why Isn't It In The Rainbow?, Sharon E. Rush

Sharon E. Rush

In the modern day, defining "family" becomes less of a theoretical debate when one's own family unit is different from the traditional married, middle-class mother and father with their biological children. For non-traditional families, redefining family takes on enormous practical significance and may actually enable people to create families. Laws permitting transracial adoptions and surrogacy are illustrative. Moreover, a broader definition of family provides greater legal security to non-traditional families. Without such legal protection, non-traditional families live in fear of traditional laws tearing them apart. Rather than using a standard that promotes hegemony in custody disputes, decisionmakers should become aware …


Sexual Orientation: A Plea For Inclusion, Sharon E. Rush May 2014

Sexual Orientation: A Plea For Inclusion, Sharon E. Rush

Sharon E. Rush

White women and people of color have made significant scholarly contribution toward a better understanding of patriarchy and racial hegemony. Other outsider scholars, such as lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, also have spoken out about how hegemony subordinates them to the dominant culture. That subordination creates a common pain of exclusion. All subordinated people should explore the sources of common pain that come from exclusion from the power and privilege generally enjoyed by members of the dominant culture.