The Evolution of Equality

Question 1

What have been major developments in expanding the rights of women?

Answer 1

• Equal Pay Act: prohibits unequal pay based on gender
• Title IX- Bans against sex discrimination in schools (academics and athletics)
• Equal Rights Amendments (ERA): can not discriminate based on sex, introduced in 1923, passed in congress in 1972 but not ratified

Question 2

What have been major developments in expanding rights for Latinos?

Answer 2

• Segregation in schools
• Rights for farm workers
• current focus: immigration reform

Question 3

What have been major developments in expanding Gay/Lesbian rights?

Answer 3

• 1969: Stonewall riots
• 1970: Annual Gay Pride parades begin
• 1990’s: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Military policy
• 2011: Don’t ask don’t tell repealed
• 2015: supreme court rules gay marriage legal

Question 4

What have been major developments in expanding rights for the disabled?

Answer 4

• before 1970’s: schools can refuse to educate disabled students
• 1972: Supreme court acted to end
• 1975: congress acts to end
• 1990: American With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Question 5

What is affirmative action?

Answer 5

an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.

Question 6

How has affirmative action evolved since the 1960s?

Answer 6

• 1961: Kennedy Administration used term for gov’t contractors to have representative workforce
• 1964: Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in hiring
• Pres. Nixon: adopt quotas
• Pres Reagan: rejects affirmative actions, says it’s reverse racism
• 2005: Supreme Court rules in Michigan, that race can factor in admission but cannot be given specific weight in higher ed admission
• 2007: Supreme Court ruled Seattle’s desegregation program unconstitutional