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Legal Rights

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Over the past 100 years rights of U.S citizens have evolved. In particular the rights of woman and men have changed a great deal, also freedom of expression has changed a lot. Each one of the above rights have foot holds in several different amendments, specifically the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth for gender discrimination, and for freedom of expression the First mainly. The following cases are cases which I think represent the evolution of gender discrimination and freedom of expression best.

The first case is Frontiero Vs. Richardson (1973) this case is a good example of gender discrimination. The gender which is being discriminated against is the female gender. Sharron Frontiero is a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. She filed for a dependent s allowance for her husband. The dependent s allowance was denied. According to Federal Law the wives of military members are provided with this allowance automatically, yet husbands of military members are not given the allowance unless there wives income provides for over one half of their support. According to Frontiero not allowing her husband or any other husbands to have dependency, by not allowing this they were unconstitutionally discriminating against female military members which violated the fifth amendment s due process clause. Frontiero, won the case . The court found that yes, it violated the due process clause, which said dissimilar treatment for men and woman who are similarly situated.

The second case is Michael M. Vs. Supreme Court of Somona County (1981) This is also a good example of gender discrimination. The gender being discriminated against male. Seventeen and and a half year old Michael M. was charged and found guilty of violating California statutory rape law. The law said that unlawful sexual intercourse was an act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a female not the wife of the

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