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Film: "Heightened Scrutiny"

This documentary follows ACLU attorney Chase Strangio as he fights a legal battle to overturn Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. 1 hour, 25 minutes.

A panel discussion featuring community and regional leaders follows the screening. Registration is requested, not required.

About the film (from the filmmakers): 

"Heightened Scrutiny" follows Chase Strangio, ACLU attorney and the first out trans person to argue before the Supreme Court, as he fights a high-stakes legal battle to overturn Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth (United States v. Skrmetti).

The film exposes the dangerous role of mainstream media in fueling anti-trans legislation, uncovering how biased coverage drives hate, endangers lives, and threatens democracy itself. With insights from journalists like Jelani Cobb, Lydia Polgreen, and Gina Chua, and activists like Laverne Cox, the story dismantles anti-trans disinformation and highlights its devastating real-world impact.

With the dangerous SCOTUS decision upholding the ban on life-saving healthcare, "Heightened Scrutiny" is an urgent call to action against bigotry and injustice.

Panelists:

Mac Allen is a Greek-American queer transgender man. A graduate of Ithaca College, he is a multidisciplinary artist, community organizer, and marketing professional. His brand, Sharkboy Stuff, raises money for the community through a mutual aid fund with designs that fuse pop culture and queer identity together. Mac is also the founder and event lead for the New Jersey Queer and Trans Makers Market, and the artistic director for the Panorama Film Festival in Salem, Massachusetts. Currently, he works at HiTOPS, an LGBTQ+ youth center in Princeton, as their Communications Manager.

Jeanne LoCicero is the Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. She supervises the litigation program and related advocacy of the ACLU-NJ’s Legal Department and manages its 16 person team. Jeanne joined the ACLU-NJ as a staff attorney in 2004 and served as its Deputy Legal Director for ten years prior to becoming legal director in 2018. She has litigated and advocated in a wide range of civil rights and civil liberties cases, with a focus on prison conditions, racial equity, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, and reproductive health. She has been honored by her law school alumni association for her public service and by Garden State Equality for her advocacy on behalf of transgender and nonbinary people. She is a trustee of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and serves on other legal and policy committees. Jeanne started her legal career as a legal fellow at the ACLU of Alabama after graduating with highest honors from Rutgers School of Law–Newark. She spent three years as a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton before joining the ACLU-NJ.

Alex Rosado-Torres (they/he) is an experienced educator and public historian. Currently, they have completed all the coursework in the education doctorate program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where his qualitative dissertation study will focus on collecting oral histories of non-binary educators of color. Before joining the Princeton community, Rosado-Torres worked for institutions such as Rutgers University and the University of Illinois, leading work in inclusive excellence and student belonging. Concurrently, they also proudly serve as a Welcoming Schools facilitator with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. In this role, they travel the country delivering professional development training to teachers and district leaders in hopes of cultivating more inclusive schools for all. Rosado-Torres has served as a member of the Oral History Association DEI Committee and is currently a professional member of the association. They have presented their historical and educational research with organizations such as the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and ONE Archives in hopes of mobilizing more educators toward historical inquiry. When they aren’t busy with their professional pursuits, Rosado-Torres enjoys spending time with his chosen family, traveling (11 countries and counting!), and spending time in nature. He is always happy to engage in conversations about advocacy, historical research and LGBTQ+ education policy.

Moderator:

Sara Wasserman, PH.D., BRCSJ Queer Educator & Local Community Organizer (She/hers), combines her professional experience as an educator, her lived experience as a Queer woman & loving parent, & her acumen as an activist, to bring a unique voice to our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. Sara’s loving & empathetic approach to community-building embodies our sacrosanct mission of never speaking for anyone, but instead with everyone. Dr. Sara is a passionate early childhood teacher educator dedicated to creating inclusive pathways for access & equity for all marginalized identities, & especially those in the LGBTQIA community. She channeled her passion for advocacy into earning her Ph.D. in Teacher Education & Teacher Development with direct focus on the intersection of education & transformative leadership & how it can create systemic change. Sara also has a B.A. in Modern Jewish Studies, a B.S, in Psychology, & a M.S. in Early Childhood & Special Education. Her professional experience includes college instructor, pre-school director, early childhood teacher, & educational consultant. Sara utilizes her bountiful background knowledge & expansive experience to plan & orchestrate extraordinary events & powerful programs for the edification & enjoyment of our Beloved Community. She continues to challenge herself & everyone around her to work with loving kindness toward equity & equality for all those who visit our BRCSJ HQ & in the greater community as well.

Presented in partnership with ACLU of New Jersey, Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice and HiTOPs and with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this programming do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Community Room Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Assistive listening system compatible with personal T-coil-enabled devices (compatible headphones also available for use during programs)
• English-language subtitles for films (when available)
• If there is an accommodation that you need or would like so that you can fully enjoy library programs, please visit our Accommodations Request Form.

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