Woman Between Islam and Western Society
4. The Problems Facing Modern Civilization
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age now form part of the American workforce
and 90% of them have had, or will have
children during their careers. This has created
a tremendous problem for women: the
onerous task of holding down a job and
having children at the same time.
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One such American woman is Lillian Garland, who
worked as a receptionist at the California Federal
Savings and Loan Association in west Los Angeles
until she became pregnant and left work to have her
baby in 1982. Her baby girl was delivered by
caesarian section and her doctor prescribed a three-
month period of leave. When she returned to Cal
Fed, Garland found that her position had been
filled. She had lost an $850 dollar job just at a time
when, with the birth of her child, her expenses had
increased.
Garland filed a suit in the federal court against the
company for having discriminated against her in
terminating her employment. The lawyers of both
parties entered into interminable arguments, and
after prolonged litigation — five years to be exact —
Thurgood Marshall, former Justice of the American
