Women in Islam: What is the Status of Women in Islam?

One of the major points on which Islam is criticism by both Muslims and non-Muslims is the treatment of women. Under Islam, women often must remain covered, they are denied contact with non-related men, they can be denied the ability to get jobs and education to the same extent as men, they are treated as having less political or social worth than men, and they are discriminated against in a variety of ways. Muslim scholars may insist that this is for their own good, but does this ring true?