Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Law and Gender Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Seattle University Law Review

Articles 211 - 229 of 229

Full-Text Articles in Law and Gender

License To Discriminate: How A Washington Florist Is Making The Case For Applying Intermediary Scrutiny To Sexual Orientation, Kendra Lacour Oct 2014

License To Discriminate: How A Washington Florist Is Making The Case For Applying Intermediary Scrutiny To Sexual Orientation, Kendra Lacour

Seattle University Law Review

Over the past few decades, the debate over sexual orientation has risen to the forefront of civil rights issues. Though the focus has generally been on the right to marriage, peripheral issues associated with the right to marriage—and with sexual orientation generally—have become more common in recent years. As the number of states permitting same-sex marriage—along with states prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation—increases, so too does the conflict between providers of public accommodations and those seeking their services. Never is this situation more problematic than when religious beliefs are cited as the basis for denying services to …

Go to article

Ironic Simplicity: Why Shaken Baby Syndrome Misdiagnoses Should Result In Automatic Reimbursement For The Wrongly Accused, Jay Simmons Oct 2014

Ironic Simplicity: Why Shaken Baby Syndrome Misdiagnoses Should Result In Automatic Reimbursement For The Wrongly Accused, Jay Simmons

Seattle University Law Review

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS)’s shortcomings include the debatable science behind SBS theory and diagnosis—the questioning of which has grown more vociferous—and the arguably biased, discriminatory treatment of the accused. Professor Deborah Tuerkheimer notes that the evolving SBS skepticism and contentious debate has resulted in "chaos" in many SBS adjudications and within the medical and biomechanical fields, with the same SBS proponents and opponents continually crusading for and clashing over their beliefs. The issues surrounding the medical and biomechanical components of SBS diagnoses have been repeatedly examined and discussed, and are not the focus of this Note. This Note recounts those …

Go to article

Addressing The Tension Between The Dual Identities Of The American Prostitute: Criminal And Victim; How Problem-Solving Courts Can Help, Brynn N.H. Jacobson Sep 2014

Addressing The Tension Between The Dual Identities Of The American Prostitute: Criminal And Victim; How Problem-Solving Courts Can Help, Brynn N.H. Jacobson

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment focuses on the sexual exploitation of both adult women and girls in the life of prostitution. The primary purpose is to explore the difficulties faced by American citizens who are exploited in prostitution (as opposed to foreign nationals who are subject to exploitation). This Comment focuses only on state and local prostitution laws, as opposed to global or federal laws on prostitution. It takes the position that prostitution is not a chosen profession for the vast majority and that prostitution is sexual exploitation. This Comment discusses the experiment of legalization and decriminalization in the Netherlands and Sweden as …

Go to article

Transgender Inpportunity And Inequality: Evaluating The Crossroads Between Immigration And Transgender Individuals, Alexandra Caggiano Mar 2014

Transgender Inpportunity And Inequality: Evaluating The Crossroads Between Immigration And Transgender Individuals, Alexandra Caggiano

Seattle University Law Review

Despite being married to a U.S. citizen, non-citizen transgender individuals and non-citizen spouses married to transgender U.S. citizens still face deportation today due to current immigration policies. When forced to return to their home countries, transgender individuals are likely to encounter violence from those who perpetuate hate towards transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Instead of protecting these individuals, the United States continues to send people back to their native countries solely because those individuals do not fall within the narrowly constructed definition of marriage some states use that is legally recognized by federal courts. Transgender individuals receive disparate treatment as …

Go to article

In Memory Of Professor Derrick Bell, Bell Symposium May 2013

In Memory Of Professor Derrick Bell, Bell Symposium

Seattle University Law Review

Derrick Bell—law teacher, mentor, scholar, activist, author, loving husband and father—larger than the sum of his many parts. The articles in this symposium are fitting tributes to his legacy and valuable contributions to Derrick’s memory.

Go to article

Misappropriating Women’S History In The Law And Politics Of Abortion , Tracy A. Thomas Oct 2012

Misappropriating Women’S History In The Law And Politics Of Abortion , Tracy A. Thomas

Seattle University Law Review

To examine the veracity of the political and legal claims of a feminist history against abortion, this Article focuses on one of the leading icons used in antiabortion advocacy—Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton has, quite literally, been the poster child for FFL’s historical campaign against abortion, appearing on posters, flyers, and commemorative coffee mugs. Advocates claim that Stanton is a particularly fitting spokesperson because she was a “feisty gal who had seven children and was outspokenly pro-life.” They claim that she “condemned abortion in the strongest possible terms” and was “a revolutionary who consistently advocated for the rights of women, for …

Go to article

Physical-Strength Rationales For De Jure Exclusion Of Women From Military Combat Positions, Maia Goodell Aug 2010

Physical-Strength Rationales For De Jure Exclusion Of Women From Military Combat Positions, Maia Goodell

Seattle University Law Review

Women have been serving in the military in steadily increasing numbers for decades. Nevertheless, the military remains one of the few areas in which the U.S. government decides what roles are open to women based on de jure exclusions. This Article examines the law governing de jure classification, noting that a mere normative belief about women’s proper place in society is an insufficient basis to justify a sex-based exclusion. It then probes the most common rationale advanced in support of the continued de jure exclusion of women: physical strength. The Article examines four problems with the physical strength rationale: (1) …

Go to article

Fait Accompli?: Where The Supreme Court And Equal Pay Meet A Narrow Legislative Override Under The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Megan Coluccio Aug 2010

Fait Accompli?: Where The Supreme Court And Equal Pay Meet A Narrow Legislative Override Under The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Megan Coluccio

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment argues the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act’s consequences will be minimally felt, so long as the Act is narrowly construed. The Comment suggests congressional action was appropriate after the Supreme Court’s Ledbetter decision and discusses the political and legislative debate leading to the Act. In addition, the Comment analyzes the Act in application, exploring its meaning, implications, and function. The Comment argues that the concerns and consequences arising from the enactment of the Act can be alleviated and avoided by a narrow interpretation of its amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Finally, the Comment recommends …

Go to article

Getting Ahead With Washington's Workfirst Program: Are Battered Women Left Behind?, Wendy Davis Jan 1999

Getting Ahead With Washington's Workfirst Program: Are Battered Women Left Behind?, Wendy Davis

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment will suggest that although the structure of Washington's WorkFirst Act could help victims become self-sufficient, the current implementation of the Act does not adequately address the particular needs of victims. As a result, a victim's chances of achieving financial independence from either the state or her abuser are minimal. Part II of this Comment will give a brief summary of the federal guidelines under which Washington's WorkFirst Act was developed. Part III will outline the requirements of the WorkFirst Act, and in particular, the Act's provisions that address or affect domestic violence victims. Included in this section will …

Go to article

State V. Riker, Battered Women Under Duress: The Concept The Washington Supreme Court Could Not Grasp, Ann-Marie Montgomery Jan 1996

State V. Riker, Battered Women Under Duress: The Concept The Washington Supreme Court Could Not Grasp, Ann-Marie Montgomery

Seattle University Law Review

Although some people have the option of going to the police after receiving threats on their lives, this was not the case for Deborah Riker: Deborah is a battered woman. Since age nine, Deborah suffered repeated torture and abuse at the hands of men who were in her life. In 1987, Deborah met Rupert Burke, a man who abused both women and drugs. When Burke threatened both Deborah and her sister, Deborah did what he told her to do: she soldhim cocaine. As a result, Deborah was charged with delivery and possession of cocaine. Deborah's case presented the classic defense …

Go to article

Approval Of Ru-486 As A Postcoital Contraceptive, Kari Hanson Jan 1993

Approval Of Ru-486 As A Postcoital Contraceptive, Kari Hanson

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment argues that if RU-486 were approved as a postcoital contraceptive rather than as an abortifacient, the drug would be of greater overall benefit to women seeking to control their fertility. To support the argument that RU-486 should be approved as a postcoital contraceptive, Part II of this Comment examines the background and development of the drug, the controversy it has engendered, and the drug's recently discovered contraceptive potential. Part III provides a short look at the process by which the FDA approves new drugs and discusses how RU-486 would likely progress through this process. Part IV begins by …

Go to article

Bias In The Washington Courts: A Call For Reform, Melisa D. Evangelos Jan 1993

Bias In The Washington Courts: A Call For Reform, Melisa D. Evangelos

Seattle University Law Review

Because of the documented threat that racial and gender bias pose to the effective administration of justice in Washington, this Comment advocates amending the Washington Rules of Professional Conduct to explicitly make intentional gender and racial bias an act of attorney misconduct and to discipline any attorney who engages in such behavior. Section I of this Comment identifies and describes instances of attorney behavior that result in gender and racial bias and explains the impact of such bias on attorneys, clients, and the judicial system. Section II explores similar anti-bias rules proposed or in place in other states. Section III …

Go to article

An Observation About Comparable Worth, George Schatzki Jan 1986

An Observation About Comparable Worth, George Schatzki

Seattle University Law Review

The ultimate legal question is: Does Title VII incorporate the comparable worth doctrine? The courts are saying, "No." Their reasoning is, at best, unpersuasive. Indeed, often their reasoning is nothing more than mere conclusion. Given what I have described briefly as the legal arguments pro and con, one can easily understand that so long as Griggs remains a part of the Title VII scene, there is a rational but not compelling argument to incorporate comparable worth into the Act. How, then, does a court decide? The following discussion is offered not as an example of desirable or undesirable judicial analysis. …

Go to article

Public Policy Over Metaphysics: Wrongful Birth And Wrongful Life In Harbeson V. Parke-Davis, Inc., Eric B. Schmidt Jan 1985

Public Policy Over Metaphysics: Wrongful Birth And Wrongful Life In Harbeson V. Parke-Davis, Inc., Eric B. Schmidt

Seattle University Law Review

The recognition of the wrongful birth and wrongful life causes of action by the Washington State Supreme Court is supported by both policy rationales and legal theories. Wrongful birth and wrongful life causes of action receive support from traditional tort principles and, more important, further public policy by deterring negligent genetic counseling and negligent preconception medical treatment. This Note describes the legal history of these claims and analyzes several issues not addressed by the Washington court. In addition, this Note criticizes a more recent decision by the court, which limits wrongful conception causes of action, because that decision conflicts with …

Go to article

Washington's Equal Rights Amendment: It Says What It Means And It Means What It Says, Patricia L. Proebsting Jan 1985

Washington's Equal Rights Amendment: It Says What It Means And It Means What It Says, Patricia L. Proebsting

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment begins with a discussion of the ERA's legislative history and the legislature's attempt to bring state statutes into compliance with the ERA upon its passage. Next, judicial interpretations of the new constitutional guarantee are compared to the interpretation of the Washington Constitution's privileges and immunities clause. Finally, the Comment compares Washington's standard of review with a similar standard used by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and argues that the Washington Supreme Court should adopt the absolute standard applied by the Pennsylvania courts.

Go to article

Wrongful Death Of The Fetus: Viability Is Not A Viable Distinction, Sheryl Anne Symonds Jan 1984

Wrongful Death Of The Fetus: Viability Is Not A Viable Distinction, Sheryl Anne Symonds

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment reviews the history of tort law treatment of the fetus who is wrongfully injured or killed. The Comment discusses case history and wrongful death statutes, with a focus on Washington law. Finally, the Comment concludes that courts should ignore viability when deciding cases of fetal wrongful death.

Go to article

Sex Stereotyping And Statistics—Equality In An Insurance Context, Cheryl Bleakney Jan 1983

Sex Stereotyping And Statistics—Equality In An Insurance Context, Cheryl Bleakney

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment first outlines a few basic insurance concepts and distinguishes employer-provided plans from individually purchased policies. It then examines discrimination criteria and City of Los Angeles, Department of Water and Power v. Manhart's application of Title VII and applies those principles to Supreme Court cases. The Comment also suggests that FIPA be revised to extend its gender-neutral requirements only to employer provided group plans.

Go to article

A Historical Analysis Of International Documents Relating To The Status Of Women And Their Relationship To The Future Foreign Policy Of The United States, John Warren Kindt Jan 1979

A Historical Analysis Of International Documents Relating To The Status Of Women And Their Relationship To The Future Foreign Policy Of The United States, John Warren Kindt

Seattle University Law Review

It was predicted that the U.N. World Conference of the International Women's Year would significantly further international human rights for women, but in retrospect the conference fell far short of accomplishing any such goal. In part, the political overtones that permeated the conference caused this failure. Lack of a cohesive strategy on the part of the major countries, especially the United States, allowed the conference to focus on political issues other than women's rights. The United States delegation also evidenced symptoms of being unprepared and unwilling to assume a leadership role. Until the advent of the Carter administration, these symptoms …

Go to article

Women At The Bar—A Generation Of Change, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Jan 1978

Women At The Bar—A Generation Of Change, Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Seattle University Law Review

This lecture, delivered at the University of Puget Sound School of Law, addresses the evolving role of women in the legal profession.

Go to article

First Prev