In the story Catherine, Called Birdy, how is Catherine discriminated against as a female?

Catherine faces sexism because she is not allowed to choose who she marries.

As a young woman in the middle ages, Catherine has few rights.  Her family has some money, but that does not make her free from problems.  Catherine’s main problem is that her father wants to marry her off, from a young age.  As a girl, she can’t choose her husband.

Catherine complains that although they are well off, they are not rich. ...

Catherine faces sexism because she is not allowed to choose who she marries.

As a young woman in the middle ages, Catherine has few rights.  Her family has some money, but that does not make her free from problems.  Catherine’s main problem is that her father wants to marry her off, from a young age.  As a girl, she can’t choose her husband.

Catherine complains that although they are well off, they are not rich.  For this reason, she has to learn to sew and act ladylike.  Catherine detests behaving like a lady.  She would much rather run around outdoors and have fun.

I can stand no more of lady-tasks, endless mindless sewing, hemming, brewing, doctoring, and counting linen!  Why is a lady to gentle to climb a tree or throw stones into the river when it is lady’s work to pick maggots from the salt meat? (October 1)

Feeling that he owns his daughter and has a right to auction her off, Catherine’s father thinks nothing of her feelings when choosing her husbands.  She considers most of them terrible, and they are usually older. 

Morwenna tried to make me understand why my father seeks a husband for me and why it is my duty to marry where he says.  I understand full well.  He is as greedy as a goat. (19th day of October)

Catherine fights back in the only way she can.  She tries to scare off potential husbands that she considers vile.  She does not succeed with "Shaggy Beard."  Her friend is married to a child, who dies before the marriage can really be a marriage.  Catherine is forced to marry Shaggy Beard, but when he dies she gets to marry his much more attractive son Stephen, whom Catherine prefers in both looks and personality.

In the middle ages, a lady was subject to the whims of the men in her life.  Catherine is bossed around and mistreated by her father and brothers.  She is told to accept that this is her lot in life. Catherine is ahead of her time in some ways, but she can’t escape her fate.  It is only luck that gets her to end up well matched.