The Hidden Gender of Law

Two legal academics who set out to produce a book of materials with such a title could weave many components into it. They could explore feminist methodology, and show how much feminist legal scholarship has in common with feminist scholarship generally. They could illustrate the influence of feminist academic work on actual legal decisions and legislation. They could discuss feminist scholarship and legal education, including the dramatic developments over the last twenty years. Questions about fundamental values - equality, liberty, security, fairness - could be addressed. Materials could be included from the field of law often called Women and the Law, that is, those substantive areas of particular interest to women, such as the laws relating to equal pay for work of equal value, sexual assault, custody, welfare, human rights, the Intemational Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, domestic workers, and the impact of incitement to racial hatred on women.