MacKinnon, Catharine A.

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Feminist lawyer and professor, Catharine Alice MacKinnon was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1946. She attended Smith College (B.A. 1969), Yale Law School (J.D. 1977), and Yale University (Ph. D. 1987). While in graduate school she organized a course to be taught in the women's studies program, and began to make the argument that sexual harassment in the workplace is also sex discrimination and therefore a violation of federal law. This grew into her first book, Sexual Harassment of Working Women (1978), and in 1986, upon hearing its first sexual harassment case, the Supreme Court agreed.

During the 1980s MacKinnon was a professor at a number of law schools before becoming tenured at the University of Michigan. Turning her attention to pornography, which she saw as a form of sex discrimination that fosters the exploitation and abuse of women, she wrote (with Andrea Dworkin) Pornography and Civil Rights (1988), Only Words (1993), and In Harm's Way: The Pornography of Civil Rights Hearings (1998), among others. MacKinnon has represented Bosnian and Croatian women against Serbs accused of genocide since 1992. In a 2000 lawsuit, Kadic v. Karadzic, the court recognized rape as an act of genocide. MacKinnon works with Equality Now, a non-governmental organization promoting international sex equality rights for women.

From the description of Papers of Catharine A. MacKinnon, 1985-2005 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 544167366

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Ayers, Martha Ann MacKinnon, b. 1877. Reminiscences, 1942. North Dakota State University Library
referencedIn Dworkin, Andrea. Audiotape collection of Andrea Dworkin [sound recording]. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Academic Freedom Lecture Fund. Academic Freedom Lecture Fund videotape series. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Feminist University Conference [videorecording] 1987 May 2. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Stanford University. Associated Students. Speakers Bureau. Associated Students of Stanford University, Speakers Bureau, audio-visual materials, 1981-1996. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Academic Freedom Lecture Fund. Academic Freedom Lecture Fund videotape series [videorecording]. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf MacKinnon, Catharine A. Papers of Catharine A. MacKinnon, 1985-2005 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn George E. MacKinnon papers., 1927-1995. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Records of, Sojourner, (inclusive), (bulk), 1920-2004, 1975-2002 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Friedan, Betty. Audio collection of Betty Friedan 1963-2007 [sound recording]. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn MacKinnon, George E., 1906-1995. George E. MacKinnon Papers, 1927-1995. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Dworkin, Andrea. Papers, 1914-2007 (inclusive), 1973-2000 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn [Catherine Mackinnon : Australian Art and Artists file]. Libraries Australia
referencedIn Feminist University Conference, 1987 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Academic Freedom Lecture Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith Academic Freedom Lecture Fund. corporateBody
associatedWith Ayers, Martha Ann MacKinnon, b. 1877. person
associatedWith Dworkin, Andrea. person
associatedWith Friedan, Betty. person
associatedWith MacKinnon, George E., 1906-1995. person
associatedWith Sojourner (Cambridge, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith Stanford University. Associated Students. Speakers Bureau. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Law School corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Feminists
Law
Law teachers
Lawyers
Pornography
Pornography
Sex discrimination against women
Sex discrimination in employment
Women
Women
Women (International law)
Women lawyers
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1946-10-07

Canadians

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 8199084