For years, Lilly Ledbetter worked beside male supervisors without knowing that Goodyear was paying her less. Ledbetter spent nearly two decades as a supervisor at…
Tag: civil rights
1994 — The Violence Against Women Act Expands Support for Survivors
For generations, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault often reached out for help only to find that the institutions meant to protect them did…
1986 — Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson Recognizes Sexual Harassment as Sex Discrimination
For many women, keeping a job once meant managing not only the work, but the sexual demands of men who controlled their schedules, promotions, and…
1981 — Kirchberg v. Feenstra Strikes Down Automatic Male Control of Marital Property
Joan Feenstra helped own her family’s home, but Louisiana law allowed her husband to mortgage it without asking her. The law designated the husband as…
1979 — CEDAW Creates a Global Framework for Women’s Rights
Across the world, discrimination against women was built into law, family authority, education, property ownership, citizenship, healthcare, work, and political power. Governments often defended those…
1978 — The Pregnancy Discrimination Act Protects Pregnant Workers
For much of American history, many women tried to hide their pregnancies at work because revealing one could cost them a promotion, health insurance, or…
1975 Iceland Women’s Day Off
On October 24, 1975, nearly 90 percent of Iceland’s women did something extraordinary. They stopped. Women across the country refused to go to paid jobs,…
1975 — Taylor v. Louisiana Opens the Jury Box to Women
Louisiana did not completely forbid women from serving on juries. Instead, it automatically placed men in the jury pool while requiring women to file a…
1974 — The Equal Credit Opportunity Act Expands Women’s Financial Freedom
A woman could earn a paycheck, manage the household bills, and help support her family—yet still be told she needed her husband’s signature to receive…
1973 — Roe v. Wade Protects Abortion Rights
Before Roe v. Wade, state law could force a woman to continue a pregnancy regardless of what it meant for her health, safety, family, education,…