Women are still far from equal to men yet discrimination on the grounds of sex is unlawful. This book asks the question: why has the law had so little impact? It concludes that only when men and women participate equally in both family life and the paid workforce will real progress in the arena of sexual equality be made.

Part II of the book applies this critique to a detailed examination of key legal issues in the UK and EU, with illuminating references to the law in North America and Australia. The result is an original and incisive analysis of pressing legal issues ranging from low pay, sexual harassment and flexible working to parenting rights and reverse discrimination. The book locates women's role in the family as a key contributory factor to their continued disadvantage within the paid workforce. Yet, in signalling the way forward, the author rejects the notion that the aim is simply to slot more women into existing structures. Instead of expecting women to conform to structures which exclude and devalue caring responsibilities, she argues, real change will only occur if paid work is restructured so that both men and women can be active participants in family life as well as in the paid workforce. The book does not, however, offer single dimensional solutions. In particular, the very difficult conflicts of interest which can arise between women, on grounds such as class or rase, are directly confronted.

ONE: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES
TWO: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES: WOMEN AT LAW
THREE: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES: WOMEN AT WORK
FOUR: WOMEN'S PAY
FIVE: "WOMEN'S WORK"
SIX: ENFORCEMENT
SEVEN: PREGNANCY AND PARENTHOOD
EIGHT: WOMEN AND THE STATE: WELFARE LAW
NINE: UNPAID WORK IN THE HOME
TEN: DIVERSITY IN UNITY: SEX, RACE AND CLASS
ELEVEN: CONCLUSION