Is Pregnancy a Disability?

The Takeaway

In a presentation to the American Association of Law Schools on Thursday, Jeannette Cox, an associate professor at the University of Dayton School of Law, argued that pregnancy comes with physical limitations on par with conditions now protected under a new amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act. These include the  inability  to do prolonged lifting, sitting, standing or walking or driving. While some are outraged by the assertion, Cox sees it as a way for women to get more legal protections at their workplace. Cox joins the program to expand upon her argument.  Sharon Lerner, author of “The War on Moms: On Life in a Family Unfriendly Nation” and senior fellow at Demos, frequently writes about reproductive rights. She discusses the consequences of labeling pregnancy a disability.

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