The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal rights for women. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time. In 1972, it passed both houses of Congress and went to the state legislatures for ratification. The ERA failed to receive the requisite number of ratifications before the final deadline mandated by Congress of June 30, 1982 expired, and so it was not adopted, largely because Phyllis Schlafly mobilized conservatives to oppose ERA.
Read more about Equal Rights Amendment: Text, Three-state Strategy, Subsequent Congressional Action
Famous quotes containing the words equal rights, equal, rights and/or amendment:
“You can’t protect women without handicapping them in competition with men. If you demand equality you must accept equality. Women can’t have it both ways.”
—Mary Bell-Richards. “Protective Legislation in England,” Equal Rights (October 3, 1925)
“These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 20:12.
“I recognize no rights but human rights—I know nothing of men’s rights and women’s rights ...”
—Angelina Grimké (1805–1879)
“The First Amendment is not a blanket freedom-of-information act. The constitutional newsgathering freedom means the media can go where the public can, but enjoys no superior right of access.”
—George F. Will (b. 1934)