The Yale Law Journal

VOLUME
134
2024-2025
Forum Exchange

United States v. Rahimi: Race, Gender, and an Evolving Second Amendment

In this Exchange, Daniel S. Harawa and Michael R. Ulrich examine the implications of United States v. Rahimi for the future of Second Amendment rights. Together, these pieces reveal how Rahimi exposes deep tensions and inconsistencies within the Roberts Court’s Second Amendment jurisprudence.

Forum

Between a Rock and a Gun

Daniel S. Harawa

The Roberts Court has methodically expanded the scope of Second Amendment rights. But in its first Second Amendment case involving a criminal defendant, United States v. Rahimi, the Court blinked. This Essay explores the implications of that decision.

 

Forum

The Second Amendment’s Second Sex

Michael R. Ulrich

This Essay explores how the Supreme Court’s Second Amendment doctrine perpetuates gender hierarchies and a male monopoly on lethal self-defense. It critiques the narrow “true man” framing that ignores women’s experiences and advocates for a justice-centered framework that incorporates power and priv…