Fairly Equal: Lawyering the Feminist Revolution

Dranoff, a trailblazing author (Every Woman’s Guide to the Law) and feminist lawyer, looks back on her busy career in this important overview of remarkable legal and social changes brought about by the Canadian women’s liberation movement. This personal record of relentless persistence in making the law more accessible to women while removing barriers regarding birth control, reproductive autonomy, custody and property rights, and equal pay for work of equal value is a welcome addition to the burgeoning written history of the women’s movement. This important record could have benefitted from and been streamlined by stronger editing. Written in a conversational style and occasionally relying on awkward phrasings that would be more at home in a personal diary, it often reads like a fleshed-out résumé, even listing the awards she received and media appearances she made in particular years. Nonetheless, Dranoff’s recounting of her early years of carving out a significant space in a male-dominated profession, her landmark work as a legal columnist for Chatelaine magazine, and the intersection of court work and political organizing serves as a critical reminder of how far Canadian women have come, as well as a warning to remain vigilant and safeguard hard-earned victories. (Apr.)