In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, where she served until 2006. Through her wide-ranging career, Justice O’Connor personally witnessed the evolution of the legal world from a time when a top Stanford Law School graduate could gain employment only as a legal secretary to one in which the law has more thoroughly protected women’s rights. She also witnessed the development of what she identifies as a “new feminism,” which, in contrast to traditional feminism, focuses less on seeking equality between the sexes and more on celebrating certain inherent differences between women and men. In this lecture, delivered on the 100th anniversary of New York University School of Law’s admission of women, Justice O’Connor outlines the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence in the area of women’s rights and takes on the “new feminism,” calling it a throwback to the “myths we have struggled to put behind us.” Justice O’Connor is critical of the insinuation that women practicing law, for example, will reach different verdicts or conclusions simply because they are women. This critique is outlined in her speech, in which she also notes the difficulties women faced in pursuing legal occupations and outlines their victories in helping eliminate sex-based discrimination. The title of the speech comes from Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice. Portia in the story is an intelligent woman who must camouflage herself as a man to practice law.