Women and the Law

A definitive overview of court decisions and legislative victories in the fight for gender equality in U.S. history. Women and the Law: Leaders, Cases, and Documents chronicles the evolution of women's rights from the Revolutionary War to the present day. Spanning the gamut of legal concepts, court decisions, justices, and organizations, this extensive reference also explores a broad range of issues from sexual harassment and spousal abuse to the gender gap in voting and the custody challenge of Baby M. Profiles of Susan B. Anthony, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anita Hill, Betty Friedan, and other activists explore their roles in bringing the issue of equal rights for women to the forefront of U.S. politics. A thorough review of key legislative acts, including the 19th Amendment, the Equal Pay Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Title IX of the Educational Amendments, and more recent rulings like the Violence against Women Act of 1994 reveals the successes, failures, and tenacious efforts of those who are fighting to achieve gender equality in the United States. AZ entries ranging from legislation such as Title IX, the Equal Pay Act, and the failed Equal Rights Amendment to pioneers such as Susan B. Anthony, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Betty Friedan An introductory chapter presenting key concepts and issues that pertain to women in U.S. law A table of cases that features more than 50 key judicial decisions Chronological coverage of the history of U.S. laws pertaining to gender An appendix of key original documents in the struggle for equality Photographs of many important pioneers of women's rights