Women & the Constitution

The Constitution provides critically important protections against sex discrimination by the government, but these protections are not absolute. We're working to advance the constitutional ideal of equal treatment for men and women.

Highlights

video | Reed v. Reed at 40: Equal Protection and Women’s Rights

November 18, 2011

Forty years ago, Reed v. Reed was the first case in which the Supreme Court applied the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution to strike down a law that discriminated on the basis of sex. On November 17, 2011, this historic case was marked with a special panel discussion about the past and future of women's legal rights under the Equal Protection Clause, featuring special guest speaker Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

More Resources

Fact Sheet | Women and the Constitution: An Equal Protection Timeline

November 15, 2011

The landmark Reed v. Reed decision, 404 U.S. 71 (1971), marked the first time in history that the Supreme Court applied the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to strike down a law that discriminated against women. This timeline describes key Equal Protection Clause cases in the forty years since the Reed decision.

Fact Sheet | Reed v. Reed at 40: A Landmark Decision

November 14, 2011

In 1971, the United States Supreme Court invalidated an Idaho law that required the selection of a man over a woman to serve as administrator of an estate when both were equally qualified. The landmark Reed v. Reed decision, 404 U.S. 71 (1971), marked the first time in history that the Court applied the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to strike down a law that discriminated against women.

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Reed v. Reed Advances Equality for Women, but Must Always Be Defended

Reed v. Reed Reminds Us What’s At Stake for Women in Constitutional Fights

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Emily Martin

Emily Martin is Vice President and General Counsel at the National Women's Law Center, where she undertakes cross-cutting projects addressing women's health, economic security, and education and employment opportunities. She also provides in-house legal advice and representation to the Center. Prior to joining the Center, Ms. Martin served as Deputy Director of the Women's Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, where she spearheaded litigation, policy, and public education initiatives to advance the rights of women and girls, with a particular emphasis on the needs of low-income women and women of color.