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The Fight for Rights
Girls today often don’t realize that not long ago, women couldn’t vote, open a credit card, or stay employed while pregnant. These rights weren’t handed over—they were fought for. This page exists to make that clear. Each image below represents a moment in that fight. Click any picture to read a short story and get a quick look at what women had to overcome. This isn’t a full history—it’s a starting point to help you understand how far we’ve come, and why the fight still matters.
The Fight Isn’t History. It’s Now.
Most of the rights women have today—like controlling their own money, their bodies, and their futures—were not gifts. They were battles. And many of those battles are still raging. Every time you sign a lease, swipe a credit card, or make a choice about your own life, you're standing on ground women fought to claim. This timeline isn't just about the past. It's about the fights still happening right now. Take a closer look—you’re living in the middle of the story.
DATE
RIGHT FOUGHT FOR
WHAT IT MEANT
1848
Right to vote
Seneca Falls launched the suffrage movement; women demanded a political voice.
1860s–1900
Keep wages & property
Married women began gaining legal rights to their own money and property. Before that, it belonged to their husbands.
1916–1930s
Access to contraception
Birth control was considered “obscene.” Women were arrested for distributing or promoting it.
1930s–1950s
Sign leases & own homes
Married women often couldn’t rent apartments or buy homes without a male co-signer.
1965
Birth control (married women)
Griswold v. Connecticut legalized birth control—but only for married couples.
1968
End to gendered job ads
“Help Wanted – Male” and “Female” ads were banned under the Civil Rights Act.
1972
Equal access to sports
Title IX required schools to offer equal sports and education opportunities to girls.
1973
Legal abortion (overturned 2022)
Roe v. Wade protected abortion rights—until it was reversed in 2022.
1974
Credit cards without a man
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act finally let women apply for credit on their own.
1978
Protection during pregnancy
Employers could no longer fire or demote women for being pregnant.
1980
Sexual harassment recognized
The EEOC formally defined sexual harassment as workplace discrimination.
1986
Right to sue for harassment
Meritor v. Vinson allowed women to sue employers over hostile work environments.
1993
Marital rape outlawed
All 50 states finally made it illegal for a husband to rape his wife.
1994
Domestic violence protection
The Violence Against Women Act provided federal support for survivors of abuse.
2000s
Public breastfeeding laws
All 50 states finally made it illegal for a husband to rape his wife.
2013
Combat roles in the military
Women were finally allowed to serve in direct combat positions.
2015–2020s
LGBTQ+ rights
Women won the right to marry, adopt, and live openly regardless of sexual orientation.
2022
Federal abortion protection (lost)
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending nationwide protection for abortion access.
Still Pending
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
First proposed in 1923, it’s still not officially part of the U.S. Constitution.
Ongoing
Ban child marriage
Over 40 states still allow minors to marry under certain exceptions.
Ongoing
Gender identity protections
Trans women still face legal barriers in health care, sports, and ID laws.
