Whatever Happened to the ERA?

Whatever Happened to the ERA?

Ask anyone: what ever happened to the ERA? And you get a blank stare or an "I don't know," or "Huh?" What's happened is the Equal Rights Amendment that was close to ratification in 1978 has been all but forgotten.

Other common responses are: "The ERA was passed a long time ago." Or, "What's the ERA?" In a recent 7-question survey, college students — even some in Women's Studies classes — couldn't answer them all correctly.

TAKE THIS QUIZ (Dare yah!)
Here are the questions — just seven of them. How do you fare?

1. What does ERA stand for, as it pertains to women? a) Education Rights Amendment; b) Equal Rights Amendment; c) Economic Recovery Act; d) Equal Rights Act.

2. The ERA was first proposed in: a) 1923; b) 1945; c) 1978; d) 1982.

3. The ERA was made into law in a) 1923; b) 1945; c) 1978; d) 1982.

4. The ERA was ratified by a) 33 states; b) 35 states; c) 38 states; d) all 50 states.

5. The rights of women are clearly protected a) in the U.S. Constitution; b) in the new Iraq Constitution; c) in the Bill of Rights; d) in the Women's Rights Act of 1975.

6. The 14th Amendment a) assures women's rights in the Constitution b) provides voting privileges for "all citizens;" c) excludes women by reference to "voting males;" d) was written by a woman.

7. In the U.S. Constitution a) the rights of women are not spelled out; b) the words "citizens" and "persons" are not meant to apply to women and blacks; c) separate amendments were necessary to secure the vote for women and blacks; d) all of the above

After you check the right answers (below), you'll know that ERA stands for the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the U.S., that it was first proposed in 1923 by Alice Paul, and that it was never added to the Constitution because it fell short of ratification by three states. You'll also realize that the rights of women in Iraq are protected by its new constitution. What you may not realize is that women's rights are protected in just about every democratic country in the free world — except the United States.

The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution clearly excludes women by reference to "voting males," thereby opening the door to renewing the ratification process interrupted in 1978. Another precedent of law involves the Madison Amendment, the 27th of the Constitution, which was finally ratified in the 1990s after lying dormant for 203 years.

The final question clarifies the current status of women's rights in the U.S. They are not protected under the U.S. Constitution. The words "citizens" and "persons" are not meant to apply to women and blacks (slavery was abolished through the 15th Amendment).

The shame lies with the women of the U.S. who have been compliant in letting this oversight continue, by not demanding that their rights be spelled out in the Constitution. And shame on the country as a whole, a nation considered the leader of the democratic free world, for insisting on human rights around the world while omitting them at home.

Six states have bills in the hopper to ratify the ERA Amendment and make it law — Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Louisiana, Illinois and Arkansas. If those fail, there are 9 other states that have not ratified the amendment as yet (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah, and Virginia).

Three bills also are in the works in the U.S. Congress. In December 2005, Senator Edward Kennedy reintroduced the ERA (as S.J.Res.7) in the Senate; Representative Carolyn Maloney reintroduced it (as H.J.Res.37) in the House of Representatives. In addition, Representative Robert Andrews reintroduced the resolution (as H.Res.155) requiring the House to take any legislative action necessary to verify that the addition of three more state ratifications will fulfill the requirements to add the ERA to the U.S. Constitution.

In other words, the path is clear to seek ratification now and add this amendment covering the rights of women to the U.S. Constitution. The Equal Rights Amendment is one of those pesky items that has been pushed to the backburner and nearly forgotten. With the world in turmoil, fighting over rights of human beings, the time seems right.

Contact your congressional representatives in Washington and urge them to get down to work and take care of this small but very important housekeeping detail. If you live in a state that has yet to ratify the amendment, contact representatives and urge ratification as soon as possible.

[Answers: 1-b; 2-a; 3-none; 4-b; 5-b; 6-c; 7-d.]