Social Equity in a Post-Roe America: Gender, Race, and the Rule of Law

Despite hundreds of federal laws and U.S. Supreme Court decisions prohibiting discrimination based on sex and race, American women and people of color continue to face pervasive individual and structural discrimination. Women often lack equal pay for equal work, affordable childcare, and paid family medical leave. Following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, safe, legal abortion has become inaccessible in approximately half the country, disproportionately impacting poor women. Women and people of color are underrepresented in elected offices at the federal and state levels, and the voting rights of people of color continue to be eroded. Employing a public administration framework, Social Equity in a Post-Roe America documents the scope and breadth of inequality in the United States, linking social equity to sex, race, and the rule of law.

This insightful and provocative new book examines U.S. Supreme Court decisions and federal statutes across four public policy domains that increasingly influence US democracy and impact the lives of American women. These policy domains consist of political representation, which includes citizenship and voting rights, contraception, abortion, and employment. Social Equity in a Post-Roe America offers policy recommendations to increase equitable access and equal opportunity for women and people of color. It is required reading for all students of public administration, public policy, and political science, as well as for engaged citizens.

Lorenda A. Naylor is a professor and program director of the undergraduate Policy, Politics and International Affairs (PPIA) degree in the College of Public Affairs, University of Baltimore, USA.

Heather Wyatt-Nichol is an associate professor in the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore, USA.