1960: The Food and Drug Administration approves birth control pills.
1963: Congress passes the Equal Pay Act, promising equitable wages for the same work regardless of sex, race, religion or national origin.
1993: The Family and Medical Leave Act goes into effect, allowing female workers to take employment leave after giving birth.
1994: The Violence Against Women Act funds services for victims of rape and domestic violence, allows women to seek civil rights remedies for gender-related crimes, and provides training to increase police and court officials' sensitivity and a national 24-hour hot line for battered women. The National Organization for Women called it "the greatest breakthrough in civil rights for women in nearly two decades."
2009: President Barack Obama signs the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which allows victims of pay discrimination to file a complaint with the government against their employer within 180 days of their last paycheck. Previously, victims were allowed only 180 days from the date of the first unfair paycheck. The act is named after a former employee of Goodyear, who was paid 15 percent-40 percent less than her male counterparts, who won't benefit from the legislation. She said the reward is that the nation's daughters and granddaughters will be better off.

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