Buckeye Talks on Tap welcomes constitutional scholar Dr. Christopher Green
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear a closely watched case at the intersection of sex discrimination, women’s sports, and transgender rights, The Ohio State University at Marion invites the community to engage in a thoughtful, civil dialogue on this important and sensitive topic. The next installment of the Buckeye Talks on Tap lecture series will feature Dr. Christopher Green, Professor of Law and Associate Director of the Ohio State Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society, on Tuesday, December 9th at 5:30 p.m. at Bucci’s Italian Scratch Kitchen.
Dr. Green will present “What the Supreme Court Should Say About Sex Discrimination,” offering constitutional and historical context as the nation anticipates the Court’s forthcoming arguments. His talk will examine the legal issues behind the case involving transgender athletes and women’s sports—an issue that is generating significant public attention and heartfelt debate across the country.
Ohio State Marion recognizes that conversations of this nature are timely, complex, and deeply personal for many people. Through Buckeye Talks on Tap, the campus aims to create spaces for open, respectful discussion grounded in scholarship, where community members can listen, ask questions, and learn together.
The Chase Center, created by the State of Ohio in 2023, focuses on researching and teaching the texts and ideas that shaped the American constitutional order. Dr. Green’s work centers on the Fourteenth Amendment and constitutional theory, and his remarks will explore how the amendment’s original promise of equal citizenship informs contemporary debates.
According to Green, nineteenth-century sources—from Seneca Falls to congressional debates—show that women’s civil rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, like the civil rights of others, are subject to reasonable, good-faith restraints for the general welfare.
“Like last year’s case that allowed states to ban puberty blockers and cross-gender hormones for young people, these cases give the Supreme Court another opportunity to abandon the ‘intermediate scrutiny’ for sex distinctions that the Court adopted in 1976. That framework is riddled with historical and conceptual flaws. Instead of relying on tiers of scrutiny, the Court should ground sex equality in the Fourteenth Amendment’s original promise of equal citizenship, which requires government to promote all citizens’ interests impartially: women’s interests as well as men’s, and the interests of citizens with gender dysphoria as much as the interests of others,” said Green.
Before joining the Chase Center, Green served for 19 years at the University of Mississippi School of Law as Professor of Law and Jamie L. Whitten Chair in Law and Government. He has held visiting positions at Princeton University and the University of San Diego. Green earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton, his law degree from Yale, and a PhD in philosophy from Notre Dame. His scholarship has been cited four times in opinions by justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. Green’s areas of expertise include constitutional law, equal citizenship, constitutional theory, originalism, separation of powers, the Fourteenth Amendment, protection from violence, and due process.
Buckeye Talks on Tap is free and open to all and offers community members a chance to explore challenging issues in an accessible, conversational setting. Inspired by the international Science Café movement, the series brings scholars and citizens together in relaxed environments—pubs, restaurants, and cafés—to discuss topics that matter to our region and our nation.
The event will take place at Bucci’s Italian Scratch Kitchen inside Passenger & Rail Co., 320 W. Center St., Marion, Ohio. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the lecture at 5:30 p.m. followed by a short Q&A. Attendees will be entered into a door prize drawing provided by Marcie DeWitt of Anchor and Away Travel. Guests are welcome to purchase dinner or drinks during the program.
Ohio State Marion looks forward to welcoming the community to this timely conversation and reaffirming its commitment to open inquiry, civil dialogue, and shared learning.
The Ohio State University at Marion was established in 1957 in Marion, Ohio as one of four Ohio State regional campuses. The 187-acre campus provides an open access portal to Ohio's flagship university, faculty expertise, and the breadth and depth of opportunity synonymous with one of the country's top public universities. Students can earn and associate of arts or bachelor's degree in biology, business, education, engineering technology, English, history, nursing, psychology, or social work on the Marion campus or begin any of 200+ Ohio State degree programs. Ohio State Marion's caring community of world-renowned faculty scholars and researchers and dedicated staff are passionate about fostering the full potential of each student in an inclusive environment that embraces the idea of caring and personal attention. Ohio State Marion prepares students for meaningful careers through innovative, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences and seeks to be the destination of choice for those seeking a university education at a campus recognized for excellence in teaching, research, community outreach, and citizenship.