Category
Artistic Expression

Supreme Court Justices Argue Free Speech Issue in Anti-Discrimination Case

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Dec. 5 in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, a case brought by a Colorado-based website designer who argues that the state’s anti-discrimination law violates her freedom of speech and religion — but her challenge came before the law was enforced against her.

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Ninth Circuit: First Amendment Protects Beauty Pageant that Barred Oregon Transgender Woman

A federal appellate court ruled in favor of a beauty pageant that barred an Oregon transgender woman from competing, citing the pageant’s First Amendment right to freely express its desired message of “womanhood.”

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Graffiti

Street Artist Files Lawsuit Against the NYPD Following Mural Removal

On June 1st, a street artist filed a lawsuit against the NYPD and the city of New York after one of his murals was covered up during a graffiti clean up campaign. The artist claims his free speech rights were violated.

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Blake Bailey

Publisher Removes Philip Roth Biography From Print Due to Sexual Assault Allegations Against the Author

The publisher’s actions highlight an unresolved tension between the desire to hold bad actors accountable and the possibility of depriving the public of valuable literary and artistic ideas. While some have expressed concerns about W.W. Norton's decision to stop printing and distributing a widely praised biography, others see it as a step towards a future where powerful people are held accountable for their behavior.

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Dare to Speak: Free Speech in Our Troubled Times

Watch the full video interview between writer Salman Rushdie and human rights advocate and PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel as they discuss today's most pressing free speech issues, including the monopoly of social media giants and the rise in global attacks on free expression.

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Netflix is Indicted By Texas Grand Jury For Promoting “Lewd” Images of Children

A grand jury in Texas indicted Netflix for streaming “Cuties,” a French film that has some critics in the U.S. saying that the film sexualizes young girls. Netflix called the charges without merit. "Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children," the company said.

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State Department Faces Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of Social Media Registration Requirement on Visa Applications

The suit, filed on behalf of two documentary film organizations, argues that the registration requirement violates the First Amendment, is too broad in scope, and has not been proven to be necessary to national security interests.

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Wedding Rings

Federal Court Reinstates Suit by Videographers Claiming Minnesota’s Anti-Discrimination Law Violates Their Free Speech Rights

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuits reinstated a Minnesota lawsuit brought by two filmmakers who claim […]

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