At America’s birth, the Constitution’s framers granted women almost no civil rights. In fact, it took until 1920 for women to win the right to vote, and until the 1970s to gain overall legal equality. The modern women’s movement adopted several lessons from the Civil Rights Movement. For example, to show they were being discriminated against women had to prove they were treated unfavorably simply because they were women. The story of one fight over equality in youth sports illustrates this ongoing struggle. 

Is the scheduling of athletic seasons by the state an example of discrimination?

 

 Does it matter that the different season (different from the boys’) was combined with unequal facilities?

 

 Should it matter that most people think that different seasons for the same or comparable sports is acceptable? Does it matter if most girls find it acceptable?

 

Fighting for the Rights of Disabled Americans

 

Fighting discrimination often takes years of mass organization, protest, political lobbying, and legal challenges to win new laws and the power to enforce them. The 1973 Rehabilitation Act was considered an early victory for supporters of rights for the disabled. It included a provision stipulating that federally funded programs and facilities must be accessible to disabled individuals. The broader Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 expanded the protections first articulated in 1973. But the fight for equality often continues beyond the passage of laws recognizing the rights of those who are experiencing discrimination. No one knows this better than those who seek the end of discrimination against people with disabilities.

 

What steps are necessary to eliminate discrimination against those with disabilities?

 

What disabilities should be covered by ADA?

 

Is discrimination against those with disabilities comparable to discrimination against racial minorities and women?