News 2017: Baker pens inaugural guest post on Potter Burda course blog in Sexuality, Identity, and Law

Professor Baker authors opening post on new course blog from Professor Potter Burda on hidden biases and LGBTQ speech

Professor Julie Baker guest-authored the opening post of a new course blog from Professor Jason Potter Burda in Sexuality, Identity, and the Law.  The piece, "Using 'Our' Words: On Lexicon and Hidden Biases Impacting LGBTQ Speech," explored hidden biases, informed by everyday life in law school and the workplace.  Specifically Professor Baker considered cultural biases in the context of communications between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ persons.  She concluded: "Members of the LGBTQ community need all of us to understand that truly supporting and accepting them and their culture means actually learning about it and being willing to embrace it – not just putting up a rainbow sticker on the door, or forwarding Facebook posts supporting gay marriage."

Members of the LGBTQ community need all of us to understand that truly supporting and accepting them and their culture means actually learning about it and being willing to embrace it – not just putting up a rainbow sticker on the door, or forwarding Facebook posts supporting gay marriage.

Professor Jason Potter Burda launched the new blog, Sexualitylaw.com, this semester with his students in Sexuality, Identity, and the Law.  In announcing the inaugural guest post, Professor Potter Burda said, "It is an honor to showcase [Professor Baker's] work on the blog, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have."  Following the publication of the blog piece, Professor Baker visited Professor Potter Burda's class to discuss with students the writing process and the experience of posting as a way to broaden the discourse beyond the walls of the law school.