Prohibiting Sex Discrimination in the Workplace: An Economic Perspective

Much has changed in the 25 years since conservative Southern congressmen attempted to derail Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by offering an amendment that would extend its prohibitions to employment discrimination against women.'It is difficult to capture in the dry text the mocking condescension with which Congressman Smith of Virginia offered the amendment as his supporters chortled their approval:Mr. Chairman, this amendment is offered to the fair employment practices title of this bill to include within our desire to prevent discrimination against another minority group, the women, but a very essential minority group, in the absence of which the majority group would not be here today.Now, I am very serious about this amendment...I do not think it can do any harm to this legislation; maybe it will do some good.I think it will do some good for the minority sex. 2To the delight of his supporters, Congressman Smith then quoted from a letter he claimed to have received from a female constituent disturbed by the numerical superiority of