We want a lot from this year’s legislative session, but there’s one thing at the very top of our wishlist these days: the passage of HF707/SF1683. This week, we’re talking with the chief author of that bill, Rep. Kelly Moller. She’ll tell us why we need it, how it relates to that recent MN Supreme Court ruling, and walk us through all the other good things it’ll do to protect Minnesotans and help survivors get justice. Plus, Grace and Bri talk comprehensive sex ed, and COVID Corner returns for its one-year anniversary. Let’s get into it!

TW/CW: sexual assault

Show Notes

“MN Supreme Court Reverses Rape Conviction Because Woman Wasn’t Forced to Get Drunk” was an actual news headline this week. Join Bri and Grace for 10 minutes to find out why – and more importantly, how we all can rally behind a law already working its way through the Minnesota House to fix it.

Show Notes

It’s Women’s History Month, and we’re celebrating by talking trans rights! Monica Meyer, Executive Director at Outfront Minnesota, joins us to unpack the trash legislation proposed to target trans girls in sports, why conversion therapy should be banned, and some recent wins for the LGBTQ+ community here in Minnesota. We’ll also talk about white supremacy and the Violence Against Women Act, and we’ll end with a nerdy dive into the opaque-but-important legislative deadlines that just passed at the Minnesota Capitol. Let’s get into it!

Show Notes

You know what’s a pretty big deal that everybody has an opinion about and nobody can agree on but that we absolutely have to sort out in the legislature this year so that the government doesn’t shut down this summer? THE STATE BUDGET. So let’s get into it! Why did the economic outlook swing as dramatically as a March weather forecast, and what does that mean for our divided legislature? Plus, a chat with Sheila Delaney, a homelessness community advocate from Minneapolis who played an important role in bringing a much needed housing option to the Twin Cities. We’ll also chat about the housing crisis: evictions, naturally occurring affordable housing, racist AF systems, and a rock solid panda metaphor.

Show Notes

The governor wants $35 million in public safety funding for the upcoming Chauvin trial, and the legislature can’t agree on whether – or how! – to fund it. We’ll also explore the latest bad faith attempts to politicize good policy rather than govern and chat with two of our favorite lawmakers about some important proposed legislation: the PRO Act, the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, and the Prove It First Act. Also, what’s up with women being 13% less likely to want the COVID vaccine?? Time to get into it.

SHOWNOTES

Join us for this very special, very brief mini-episode and our first-ever Ren Fem Rant! It’s a quick five-minute journey into the Venn diagram of white supremacy, violence, and anti-abortion extremism, courtesy of very bad State Senators Michelle Benson and Julia Coleman -- plus one simple thing we need you to do right now.

Show Notes

Ask Your Reps to condemn the language from Senators Benson & Coleman!

This week, we dig into the report recently issued by Minnesota’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) task force: the causes behind MMIW injustice and the 20 mandates recommended by the task force moving forward. To hear about the research and explore the intersections between MMIW injustice and sex trafficking, we talk with MMIW Task Force Steering Committee Member, Sheila Lamb. Plus, sex trafficking economics, harrowing numbers out of our state, and as always, ways for you to channel your rage because yeah, you’re gonna leave this episode pretty fiery.

Show Notes

Happy anniversary, Roe! This week, we mark the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade by talking to Megan Peterson, the Executive Director at Gender Justice to catch us up on all things repro rights: what Minnesota has, what we still need, and how we can fight to get it. We also cover what happens here if Roe falls and why Biden being President is, you know, good news. Plus, we introduce a new segment called THESE GUYS SHOULD NOT BE GOVERNOR and talk through the ways three GOP hopefuls have proven they’re unfit to hold executive office this week.

Show Notes:

Welcome to Season Two of Renegade Feminist! Since our last episode, the President incited a coup, and some Minnesota lawmakers weren’t exactly blameless. We can’t believe we’re writing this, but tune in to find out how some of our reps helped inspire sedition and whether they plan to stop anytime soon. Plus, the MN State Legislature is back in session, so we’re going to walk you through how bills become laws here in the North Star state, flag an ugly bill designed to suppress votes, and tell you what went down in this session’s first days. (Surprising no one: Paul Gazelka still thinks there are “fine facts on both sides” when it comes to science.)

Show Notes

In the final episode of 2020, Bri & Grace dive in to the idea of incorporating social workers into emergency response protocols, looking to models that have worked and contrasting that with what’s going on here at home. To stay on the topic of the importance of social work, Dr. Katharine Hill, Director of the School of Social Work at the University of St. Thomas, visits to share just how critical voting is to positive health outcomes and the many ways social workers connect folks to political resources. In the back of the episode, you’ll learn about the many continued ways Minnesota Republicans are grasping at straws to cast doubt on the election results and the stellar shade from Secretary of State Steve Simon.

Show Notes

Voter Advocacy Organizations:  League of Women Voters, ACLU, Brennan Center, Sentencing Project, Restore the Vote, Common Cause