Law professor Daniel Del Gobbo, a leading advocate for human rights and gender equality, has been at the forefront of discussions surrounding the complexities of gender, law, and the social forces driving transphobia in Canadian society.
Prof. Del Gobbo currently teaches a course called "Law and Sexuality" at Windsor Law.
"From the law school building, my students and I can see the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor with Detroit, our country's busiest international crossing and a powerful symbol of the Canada-U.S. relationship," Del Gobbo says. "That close connection means (U.S. president Donald) Trump's policies are normalizing transphobia on our side of the border, increasing the risk of violence at Canadian universities. It's a frightening time for students pursuing gender and sexuality studies. Universities must act to protect students now."
Del Gobbo has published three opinion pieces on gender justice and trans rights this month, two in Policy Options and one in The Conversation. The first two pieces in Policy Options are single-authored. The first, The fight for trans rights is a women's rights issue, focuses on the relationship between women's rights and trans rights. The second, The pernicious effects of transphobia on campus, focuses on how normalizing transphobic rhetoric increases the risk of gender-based violence on campus.
He co-wrote the third op-ed, It's important to protect trans athletes on campuses, and this benefits all students, with second-year law student Asha Holland. This piece focuses on the moral panic around trans athletes and the importance of promoting trans inclusion in sports.
Del Gobbo was recently named the Chair in Law, Gender, and Sexual Justice. His publications remind readers that human rights struggles are interconnected, and that it's important to understand current fights for trans justice in the context of broader movements for gender equality and social justice. Through his research, teaching, and legal activism, he is challenging harmful narratives about gender and sexuality and advocating for safer, more inclusive spaces on university campuses for women and trans students.
