Avira, as for proof about Sara Schenirer learning Gemara, it’s something I’ve read on numerous bios of her. In her diaries, she wrote that she learned the daily Chok l’Yisrael seder. Chok l’Yisrael contains Chumash, Navi, Mishnayos, and Gemara. I found it interesting that in some of the more yeshivish bios where I read this, they removed Gemara when explaining what Chok l’Yisrael is.
In R’ Jachter’s article (which I linked to above – thanks Mods!), he notes that the prohibition, according to many, is to force women to learn Mishna or Gemara. If they choose to learn it on their own, there is no problem. See the Torah Temimah on Devarim 11:19. Also, R’ Chaim Dovid haLevi quotes the Chida as having this view, and R’ Henkin said that this views explains how there were so many women who were very learned, from Bruriah all the way to modern times – he names the wife of R’ Isser Zalman Meltzer.
There is disagreement on the issue, so each should follow their own posek.
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