Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination is any action that grants or denies opportunities, privileges, or rewards to a person solely on the basis of their sex. Although women have taken great strides professionally and socially, they are often subtly and consistently denied full access to the same opportunities as men. Such discrimination is illegal. Examples include pay and benefit disparity and difficulty securing employment or promotions despite qualification.

In addition to advocating for change on a case by case basis, CWLC addresses gender discrimination outside the legal system through educational programs for women and the community.

Girls & Sports: A Winning Game

Even though both state and federal laws prohibit sex discrimination in sports programs in publicly funded educational institutions and recreational facilities, girls are still losing out on the playing field. CWLC lectures, issues policy briefs, and testifies before lawmakers about the need to vigorously enforce these laws. To enhance girls’ preparedness for competitive sports, CWLC is one of the few organizations focused on equity at the K-12 level as well as those sponsored by city parks and recreational departments. Leading the way, CWLC successfully represented Alhambra high school girls in the first Title IX class-action sports lawsuit ever certified in California for high school students.

The CWLC has also created Time Out: Does your School Play Fair? A Title IX guide to inform women and young girls of their rights under the law, and to help them fairly asses whether their school or university is in compliance. The guide also includes steps women can take to address compliance issues at their school.

Educational Rights of Pregnant and Parenting Students

Despite legal protections against sex discrimination in education, pregnant and parenting students are routinely stigmatized, marginalized, and coerced into attending substandard, non-traditional schools. To protect students’ rights, CWLC travels throughout California to train advocates, legal services attorneys, and school personnel on the educational rights of pregnant and parenting students, including their right to stay in school, participate in all extra-curricular activities, and receive child care and confidential family planning services. CWLC also advocates for innovative policy initiatives to protect the civil rights of pregnant and parenting students.