Professor Traynor noted corporations in the United States have been ahead of the curve in protecting LGBTQ + rights . As a UND Student Senator in 1984 , he helped establish a group for gay and lesbian students at UND with support from United Campus Ministries . After law school , he provided pro bono legal services through the Minnesota Aids Project . Professor Traynor highlighted the risks to individuals in the 1980s , 1990s , and 2000s if they came out of the closet ; they could lose everything – their families , their jobs , their health insurance , their retirement benefits , their homes , and so on – including being prohibited from becoming a lawyer due to federal and state laws criminalizing people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity . Professor Traynor emphasized people do not hire a lawyer because they are gay or straight , but because they are good . He stressed providing volunteer work to organizations and individuals “ really does make a difference .”
Jeff Maliskey , who hails from Michigan , serves as UND ’ s Assistant Director for Student Diversity & Inclusion / LGBTQ Initiatives , providing programming to assist students throughout the university . UND ’ s Diversity & Inclusion initiatives offer students a wide range of support related to race , ethnicity and culture , nationality , religion and spirituality , veteran and military students , students with disabilities , and gender and sexuality . Dr . Maliskey , having recently earned his Ph . D . in Education , Health , and Behavior Studies at UND , focuses his scholarship on the history of LGBTQ student activism in higher education , particularly in North Dakota .
In his discussion , Dr . Maliskey covered the history of discriminatory laws , policies , and actions – including violence – against members of the LGBTQ + community . He mentioned how laws and policies establishing rights for marginalized individuals have sometimes been reversed , and that positive legal trends can go backwards . Dr . Maliskey also discussed the intersection between race and ethnicity with sexual orientation and gender identity , as well as controversy regarding transgender individuals and restrooms , including negative consequences of discriminatory policies . In response to a question about positive steps members of the legal community could take , Dr . Maliskey suggested posting indicators such as a rainbow outside offices and on websites indicating the entity is a welcoming environment . He mentioned entities at UND and in North Dakota , such as the
Queer & Trans Alliance , UND ’ s Pride Center , and the
North Dakota Human Rights Coalition .
In North Dakota and nationwide , the legal community is increasingly focusing on preventing discrimination and ensuring equality . This spring , the Randy H . Lee American Inn of Court in Grand Forks held a program addressing transgender individuals in the legal system . The Gavel included an article discussing the evolving use of personal pronouns . 2 Bryan Garner
– author of five editions of “ Black ’ s Law Dictionary ” and a book with Justice Antonin Scalia – also highlighted changing norms regarding pronouns . 3 Since 1996 ,
the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association has advocated for fairness and equality for LGBTQ + people . 4 The National LGBTQ + Bar Association recently showcased the Transformation Project Advocacy Network in South Dakota , which “ advocates for the
dignity and well-being of transgender South Dakotans through social and political action while also advocating for transgender equity and justice .” 5 The ABA ’ s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity provides resources to help promote inclusion and end discrimination . 6 The panelists also highlighted
GLAD ( Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders ),
PFLAG
( Parents , Families , and Friends of Lesbians and Gays ),
Lambda Legal , and
Human Rights Campaign . These examples reflect the growing emphasis on eliminating bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity , including many positive steps forward within our own state and region .
1 . Associate Dean for Teaching and Engagement and Professor , UND School of Law ( julia . ernst @ law . und . edu ).
2 . Jennifer Cook , Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich , and Jenny Samarzja , The Power of the Personal Pronoun : A Law Practitioner ’ s Primer , “ The Gavel ,” Winter 2022 , at 30-31 .
6 . https :// www . americanbar . org / groups / diversity / sexual _
orientation /.
Dean Michael McGinniss , left , welcomed Piper , center , and the program ' s panelists , left to right , Lisa Edison-Smith , Paul Traynor , and Jeff Maliskey . An audience of more than 200 attended " Eliminating Bias Against LGBTQ + Legal Professionals ."
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