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Linda C. McClain

@proflmcclain.bsky.social

140 followers 45 following 24 posts

Robert Kent Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law; co-director, BU Program on Reproductive Justice. Interests: family law, feminist legal theory; gender and law, reproductive rights/justice, civil rights, law and religion, law & literature. .. more

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Linda C. McClain is the Robert B. Kent Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law. Her scholarship focuses largely on the roles of individuals and families in the democratic process. Her work crosses various areas of law, including family law, gender equality, and feminist legal theory. McClain is noted for her liberal feminist approach to major social, legal, and political questions. .. more

Political science 68%

Sociology 13%

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Reposted by Aziza Ahmed

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · 11d

Keynote by @azizaahmed.bsky.social with commentary by Prof. Michele Goodwin and two panels of amazing speakers. Can attend in person or virtually: app.registrationguru.net#!/portal?eve...

Registration Guru Application

app.registrationguru.net

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · 11d

BU Program on Reproductive Justice thrilled to co-sponsor 10/3 symposium, "Risk and Resistance: Feminist Interventions in Health Law, Science, and Policy," celebrating new book by BURPJ co-dir. @azizaahmed.bsky.social w/ @universitypress.cambridge.org www.american.edu/wcl/impact/i...

Fall Symposium

www.american.edu

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jul 16

This beautiful tribute to Dick Fallon brought tears to my eyes. Thanks, @dorfonlaw.bsky.social, for capturing Dick's humility, brilliance, and so many scholarly virtues. Like so many of his students, my daughter feels inexpressibly grateful to have studied with him.

Michael C. Dorf @dorfonlaw.bsky.social · Jul 16

My co-author and friend Richard Fallon died on Sunday. On the blog, I remember some of what made him such an extraordinary scholar, teacher, and human being.

Remembering Richard Fallon

Richard H. Fallon Jr., the Story Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, died on Sunday. Dick was an exemplary scholar and teacher of consti...

www.dorfonlaw.org

Reposted by Mark A. Lemley, Linda C. McClain

Michael C. Dorf @dorfonlaw.bsky.social · Jul 16

My co-author and friend Richard Fallon died on Sunday. On the blog, I remember some of what made him such an extraordinary scholar, teacher, and human being.

Remembering Richard Fallon

Richard H. Fallon Jr., the Story Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, died on Sunday. Dick was an exemplary scholar and teacher of consti...

www.dorfonlaw.org

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jul 11

Here's a witty and apt post by @athenais.bsky.social on why a tradwife appeal to "the princess treatment" by her husband misunderstand princesses, their treatment, and their power! open.substack.com/pub/allisont...

The Princess Treatment

There has been a lot of internet talk this week about princesses, and not the Disney kind, all because a certain tradwife influencer discussed going out with her husband for dinner and being treated l...

open.substack.com

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Apr 23

Important insights by historian Steven Hahn in this @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social episode about a long history of "illiberalism" in the US -- similar to pol scientist Rogers Smith on the different strands of the American tradition: Trumpism www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/o...

Opinion | The Very American Roots of Trumpism

The historian Steven Hahn puts Trumpism in the context of America’s long history of illiberalism.

www.nytimes.com

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Apr 4

Looking forward to this BU Law panel today, with @mayamanian.bsky.social @matiangai.bsky.social and Jackie Dugard on Aziza Ahmed and my Routledge Companion to Gender and COVID-19. Can watch virtually! www.bu.edu/law/engageme...

A Panel Celebrating the Publication of “The Routledge Companion to Gender and COVID-19” | School of Law

www.bu.edu

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 11

Very excited to announce that BU School of Law and BU Program on Reproductive Justice are seeking an Executive Director and Lecturer to help build the program and train the next generation of reproductive justice advocates. Please spread the word: jobs.silkroad.com/BU/Faculty/j...

Executive Director & Lecturer, BUPRJ, Boston University School of Law - BOSTON, Massachusetts - Boston University

Find a career with Boston University

jobs.silkroad.com

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 7

As @lsepper.bsky.social argues, there is a long history of arguing that abortion decisions are rooted in religious beliefs (like the challenge to the Hyde Amendment) but the dominant story has been that religious liberty is only at issue in opposition to abortion.

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 7

Here's my review for @jotwell.bsky.social of @lsepper.bsky.social on why religious liberty challenges to state abortion bans should succeed (but likely won't) before SCOTUS but may fare better in state courts, like Indiana. family.jotwell.com/reclaiming-a....

Reclaiming Abortion as a Moral—and Religious—Decision - Family Law

Elizabeth Sepper, Free Exercise of Abortion, 49 BYU L. Rev. 177 (2023).Linda C. McClainIn 1973, before the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, two members of a group of clergy committed to helping wome...

family.jotwell.com

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 7

Proud of my friend Bill Treanor and proud to be Georgetown Law alum!

Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · Mar 6

With his permission, I'm sharing Dean Treanor's response to Ed Martin's letter:

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 7

Here is my review of Prof. Elizabeth Sepper's informative argument about why religious liberty challenges to state abortion bans should succeed in SCOTUS, but likely won't, but may fare better in state courts.

Jotwell @jotwell.bsky.social · Mar 7

Jotwell Family Law latest:
Linda C. McClain, Reclaiming Abortion as a Moral—and Religious—Decision, JOTWELL (March 7, 2025) (reviewing Elizabeth Sepper, Free Exercise of Abortion, 49 BYU L. Rev. 177 (2023)), family.jotwell.com/reclaiming-a....

Reposted by Linda C. McClain

Jotwell @jotwell.bsky.social · Mar 7

Reposted by Pablo Brañas‐Garza, Linda C. McClain, Gillian Douglas , and 5 more Pablo Brañas‐Garza, Linda C. McClain, Gillian Douglas, Rachel M. Gisselquist, Shannon M. Monnat, Anna Gelpern, Bridget J. Crawford, Federico Steinberg

Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · Mar 6

With his permission, I'm sharing Dean Treanor's response to Ed Martin's letter:

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 5

Agreed. I continued my way through Season 3 of Somebody Somewhere.

Melissa Murray @profmmurray.bsky.social · Mar 5

Started watching the SOTU... but had to switch to Yellowjackets because it was more calming.

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 5

A piece of good news about US AID. I wonder if Musk will call for impeaching the two conservative SCOTUS justices-- C.J. Roberts and J. Amy Coney Barrett -- who joined the liberals on this ruling?: www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03...

Trump Live Updates: Supreme Court Denies Bid to Freeze Nearly $2 Billion in Foreign Aid

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Linda C. McClain

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · Mar 5

"In just a few minutes, the behavior of Donald Trump and J. D. Vance created a brand new stereotype for America: not the quiet American, not the ugly American, but the brutal American"
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Europe Confronts the Rise of the Brutal American

This is how the bad guys act.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by Linda C. McClain

Melissa Murray @profmmurray.bsky.social · Mar 5

Started watching the SOTU... but had to switch to Yellowjackets because it was more calming.

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 4

Lots of great insights in this discussion, including the link between "strongman politics" and devaluing/destroying the role of government as doing good things in people's lives: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/o...

Opinion | What Man’s Man Politics Is Doing to America

And why Democrats shouldn’t try to “out-cowboy” Donald Trump.

www.nytimes.com

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Mar 4

There Is No Musk Exception in the Constitution www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/o...

Opinion | There Is No Musk Clause in the Constitution

Trump is on shaky ground when it comes to the way he has empowered perhaps the most important figure in the new administration.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Linda C. McClain

Melissa Murray @profmmurray.bsky.social · Feb 6

DOGE is not a real department.

In order to be a real department, DOGE would have to be approved by Congress.

Pass it on.

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Reposted by Linda C. McClain

Maxine Eichner @maxineeichner.bsky.social · Feb 6

182 law professors have signed on to a Statement of Urgency about the peril of the constitutional crisis that is now upon us. Complete list of signers below. Please read and repost!! Thank you!

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Feb 1

"Notably missing [from Trump's 2025 proclamation about Black History Month] was a more somber mention of the 'incredible prejudice and hardship' that African Americans have faced, like the one Mr. Trump included in his 2020 proclamation." www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/u...

Amid Trump’s Anti-Diversity Effort, Black History Month Takes on New Meaning

Feb. 1 marks the first day of Black History Month, and suddenly the study of the Black experience may feel like an act of defiance.

www.nytimes.com

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 31

The White House 1/29/25 executive order, Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schools, re-establishes President Trump's 1776 Commission to promote "patriotic education." Here's my critique of the Commission's 1776 Report (Jan. 2020) as partisan & divisive:
scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scho...

Civic Education in Circumstances of Constitutional Rot and Strong Polarization Rot

This Essay argues that civic education is crucial to remedying what Jack Balkin, in The Cycles of Constitutional Time, diagnoses as “constitutional rot” in the United States. A twenty-first century ci...

scholarship.law.bu.edu

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 29

Now available to watch!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNT...

Comstock Conflict in the New Trump Administration

YouTube video by School of Law, Boston University

www.youtube.com

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 22

Yet another provocation: www.newsweek.com/constitution...

US Constitution disappears from White House website after Trump takes power

Bios of former presidents and a Spanish-language version are also down as the new administration changes the White House website.

www.newsweek.com

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 17

If you can't tune in today, the webinar will be posted later on the website of BU Program on Reproductive Justice:
www.bu.edu/law/academic...

BU Program on Reproductive Justice | School of Law

www.bu.edu

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 17

Happening today at noon ET!:

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Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 15

BU Program on Reproductive Justice is cosponsoring this event. Speakers include authors @maryrziegler.bsky.social & Reva Siegel & commentators Serena Mayeri, @dsc250.bsky.social @lauraportuondo.bsky.social and my colleague Nicole Huberfeld.

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Reposted by Tracy A. Thomas

Linda C. McClain @proflmcclain.bsky.social · Jan 15

Join us for a BU Law webinar Friday, 1/17, 12-1:30, "Comstock Conflict in the New Trump Administration," on Reva Siegel & @maryrziegler.bsky.social article, "Comstockery: How Government Gave Birth to the Law of Sexual and Reproductive Freedom and May Again Threaten it." www.bu.edu/law/engageme...

Comstock Conflict in the New Trump Administration | School of Law

www.bu.edu

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