Final answer:
Women have historically faced penalties for actions that were permissible for men, such as owning property or working through life events. These penalties were manifestations of gender discrimination in various areas, including legal rights and financial matters. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 was significant in fighting against financial discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout history, women have faced numerous penalties for engaging in behaviors that men could freely participate in. For example, in England during the 1800s, gender discrimination was prevalent in the application of laws; women could not own land or vote, and were protected from the death sentence for certain crimes, not due to fairness, but because the public found it shocking. Men, conversely, were fined for behaviors such as swearing in a woman’s presence. Fast forward to the 1960s in the United States, women in the workforce often had to navigate discriminatory practices that could include termination for life events, such as marriage or childbirth, reinforcing the stereotype that female employment was transitory.
In the realm of finance, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 was a milestone in combatting gender-based credit discrimination. Prior to this, women, including those who were veterans, faced hurdles when seeking bank loans due to lenders deeming female income as supplemental and unreliable. The Act made it illegal for creditors to discriminate based on gender, among other factors.