From getting a credit card, to not being allowed to use contraceptive pills, women have been dealing with a lot of ridiculous restrictions
Currently, women are paid less than men in almost every field, regardless of education or even unionisation — but that pales in comparison to some of the more outrageous prohibitions and laws that were once proudly discriminatory. While not having the right to vote was bad, some of these gender-suppressing policies were worse. Here are a few things that, at one time or another, women couldn't do.
Serve on a jury: At the turn of the century, a female committing a crime stood a very poor chance facing a jury of her peers in the US. In 1879, the Supreme Court reaffirmed early common law that labeled female jurors as suffering from a “defect of sex” and made it constitutionally acceptable for courts to ban women from serving. By 1927, just 19 states had decided the ban was ridiculous; the rest were satisfied with all-male jury boxes because it was thought to be inappropriate for women to hear gory details of criminal cases. It was also thought that women might be too sympathetic to criminals.
Get a credit card: While lopsided income continues to be a problem in the workforce, there was a time when US banks wanted to dictate how women spent what money they did earn. In the 1970s, single or divorced females applying for a credit card were often required to bring in a male to co-sign their application. When weighing their salaries, institutions would sometimes consider only half the total amount.
Work while pregnant: Up until 1964, maternity leave was considered permanent: Employers were under no obligation to retain workers who got pregnant and as many as 40 per cent of businesses took advantage of the lack of laws.
Watch the Olympics: The birth of the modern Olympic Games in 1896 gave way to increasing numbers of female athletes being allowed in competition. But the ancient Greeks had a different approach: In addition to being prohibited from participating, married women couldn’t even attend the event as spectators. To do so would be punishable by death.
Smoke in public places: For men, smoking is a masculine, smouldering activity — the kind of thing cowboys do. For women — at least, as far as New York City was concerned — it was highly unbecoming. The city banned females from smoking in public businesses (like bars, hotels, or restaurants) in 1908.
Take birth control: Contraception was a taboo topic for much of the 20th century with couples in many states prohibited from doing anything to interfere with nature’s course until a 1965 Supreme Court ruling. While that was nice for a woman who was married, a single female was still denied the right to use oral contraceptives in 26 states.
Play football: When thousands of men marched off to World War I in 1915, the women left behind in England assumed their duties both professionally and recreationally. Women’s soccer (football) teams sprung up and became a public sensation, drawing crowds of up to 53,000 people. In 1921, however, the Football League governing body took the dubious advice of physicians and declared the game “unsuitable” for the female body. Female teams were banned from using male teams’ grounds until 1971.
