This Meme Is So Them

this meme is so them

Women's Not So Distant History

This #WomensHistoryMonth, let's not forget how many of our rights were only won in recent decades, and weren’t acquired by asking nicely and waiting. We need to fight for our rights. Here's are a few examples:

Digital illustration of a woman with thick curly hair trying to access an ATM. Text reads, “Before 1974… women weren’t allowed to have a bank account or apply for credit by themselves.”

📍 Before 1974's Fair Credit Opportunity Act made it illegal for financial institutions to discriminate against applicants' gender, banks could refuse women a credit card. Women won the right to open a bank account in the 1960s, but many banks still refused without a husband’s signature. This allowed men to continue to have control over women’s bank accounts. Unmarried women were often refused service by financial institutions entirely.

Digital illustration of a woman employee passing a male coworker’s desk. He’s looking at her with a text bubble that reads, ‘hey doll face.’ Text reads, ‘before 1977, women had no legal protections from sexual harassment at work’

📍 Before 1977, sexual harassment was not considered a legal offense. That changed when a woman brought her boss to court after she refused his sexual advances and was fired. The court stated that her termination violated the 1974 Civil Rights Act, which made employment discrimination illegal.⚖️

Digital illustration of a Black bride. She has her arms crossed and is pouting. Text reads, ‘Before the 1970s… It was difficult for a woman to get a divorce. Divorce could only be obtained if she could prove that her husband had committed serious faults such as adultery.

📍 In 1969, California became the first state to pass legislation to allow no-fault divorce. Before then, divorce could only be obtained if a woman could prove that her husband had committed serious faults such as adultery. 💍By 1977, nine states had adopted no-fault divorce laws, and by late 1983, every state had but two. The last, New York, adopted a law in 2010.

📍In 1967, Kathrine Switzer, entered the Boston Marathon under the name "K.V. Switzer." At the time, the Amateur Athletics Union didn't allow women. Once discovered, staff tried to remove Switzer from the race, but she finished. AAU did not formally accept women until fall 1971.

📍 In 1972, Lillian Garland, a receptionist at a California bank, went on unpaid leave to have a baby and when she returned, her position was filled. Her lawsuit led to 1978's Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which found that discriminating against pregnant people is unlawful

📍 It wasn’t until 2016 that gay marriage was legal in all 50 states. Previously, laws varied by state, and while many states allowed for civil unions for same-sex couples, it created a separate but equal standard. In 2008, California was the first state to achieve marriage equality, only to reverse that right following a ballot initiative later that year.

📍In 2018, Utah and Idaho were the last two states that lacked clear legislation protecting chest or breast feeding parents from obscenity laws. At the time, an Idaho congressman complained women would, "whip it out and do it anywhere,"

📍 In 1973, the Supreme Court affirmed the right to safe legal abortion in Roe v. Wade. At the time of the decision, nearly all states outlawed abortion with few exceptions. In 1965, illegal abortions made up one-sixth of all pregnancy- and childbirth-related deaths. Unfortunately after years of abortion restrictions and bans, the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022. Since then, 14 states have fully banned care, and another 7 severely restrict it – leaving most of the south and midwest without access.

📍 Before 1973, women were not able to serve on a jury in all 50 states. However, this varied by state: Utah was the first state to allow women to serve jury duty in 1898. Though, by 1927, only 19 states allowed women to serve jury duty. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 gave women the right to serve on federal juries, though it wasn't until 1973 that all 50 states passed similar legislation

📍 Before 1988, women were unable to get a business loan on their own. The Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 allowed women to get loans without a male co-signer and removed other barriers to women in business. The number of women-owned businesses increased by 31 times in the last four decades.

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Digital illustration of a pregnant mom with her two young kids who are playing. Text reads, ‘before 1965, married women had no right to birth control.’

📍 Before 1965, married women had no right to birth control. In Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the Supreme Court ruled that banning the use of contraceptives violated the right to marital privacy.

Digital illustration of a Black man proposing to a white woman. Text reads, ‘before 1967, interracial couples didn’t have the right to marry’

📍 Before 1967, interracial couples didn’t have the right to marry. In Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court found that anti-miscegenation laws were unconstitutional. In 2000, Alabama was the last State to remove its anti-miscegenation laws from the books.

Digital illustration of a young woman standing next to a calendar labeled ‘the rhythm method.’ Text reads, ‘before 1972, unmarried women had no right to birth control.’

📍 Before 1972, unmarried women didn’t have the right to birth control. While married couples gained the right in 1967, it wasn’t until Eisenstadt v. Baird seven years later, that the Supreme Court affirmed the right to contraception for unmarried people.

Digital illustration of an elderly woman with a face deformity and physical disability. She is pushing a walker and there’s text on her gray sweatshirt that reads, ‘disabled is not a bad word.’ The graphic has text that reads, “Before 1974… some cities allowed police to
arrest people with visible disabilities for being out in public”

📍 In 1974, the last “Ugly Laws” were repealed in Chicago. “Ugly Laws” allowed the police to arrest and jail people with visible disabilities for being seen in public. People charged with ugly laws were either charged a fine or held in jail. ‘Ugly Laws’ were a part of the late 19th century Victorian Era poor laws.

Digital Illustration of a newlywed couple driving away in a pink car. There’s decor on the car and a sign that reads, ‘RIP her maiden name.’ There’s text that reads, “Before 1976…Not all women could keep
their maiden name”

📍 In 1976, Hawaii was the last state to lift requirements that a woman take her husband’s last name. If a woman didn’t take her husband’s last name, employers could refuse to issue her payroll and she could be barred from voting.

Digital illustration of a disabled woman with a leg prosthetic. She is wearing a floral nightgown and looking down at a pair of panties in her hand. Text reads, “before 1993, a wife couldn’t refuse sex with her husband”

📍 It wasn’t until 1993 that marital assault became a crime in all 50 states. Historically, intercourse within marriage was regarded as a “right” of spouses. Before 1974, in all fifty U.S. states, men had legal immunity for assaults their wives. Oklahoma and North Carolina were the last to change the law in 1993.

Digital illustration of a disabled fem with an eyepatch and portable oxygen machine. She is wearing business-wear and holding a purse. Text reads, ‘Before 1990, employers could refuse to hire someone because of their disability”

📍 In 1990, the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) – most comprehensive disability rights legislation in U.S. history – was passed. The ADA protected disabled people from employment discrimination. Previously, an employer could refuse to hire someone just because of their disability.

Digital illustration of a woman senator in a blazer and skirt. Behind her walks a man in a blue suit. Text reads, ‘Before 1993, women could not wear pants on the senate floor’

📍 Before 1993, women weren’t allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor. That changed when Sen. Moseley Braun (D-IL), & Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) wore trousers - shocking the male-dominated Senate. Their fashion statement ultimately led to the dress code being clarified to allow women to wear pants.

Digital illustration of a woman in boxers, a sports bra, an oversized blazer, docs and striped socks standing next to a retail display of reproductive health products. Text reads, ‘Before 1998… there was no access to emergency contraception.’

📍 Emergency contraception (Plan B) wasn't approved by the FDA until 1998. While many can get emergency contraception at their local drugstore, back then it required a prescription. In 2013, the FDA removed age limits & allowed retailers to stock it directly on the shelf (although many don’t).

Digital illustration of a couple holding hands outside two apartment doors. They are both ready for bed and there’s text that reads, ‘Before 2003, girlfriends could not legally live with their boyfriends.’

📍 In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), the Supreme Court ruled that anti-cohabitation laws were unconstitutional. Sometimes referred to as the ‘'Living in Sin' statute, anti-cohabitation laws criminalize living with a partner if the couple is unmarried. Today, Mississippi still has laws on its books against cohabitation.

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dollw1tch

4 months ago