The surprising reason why women were included in the 1964 Civil Rights Act | What The History?!

Summary

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a groundbreaking amendment that prohibited employment discrimination based on gender, a provision initially proposed by Representative Howard Smith under controversial circumstances. The amendment was supported by activists like the National Women's Party and Representative Martha Griffiths, who fought to keep sex as a protected class despite initial skepticism from leaders like the EEOC chairman. Through persistent organization, legal pressure, and landmark challenges by groups like flight attendants, Title VII became a crucial tool for combating workplace discrimination and advancing women's rights in the United States.