Question

It's 1982. Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 1972. The states have ten years to ratify the amendment. Thirty-five states have ratified the ERA. The state of Florida has yet to decide on its ratification. The Florida state legislature created a ratification commission which is charged with hosting a series of town-hall meetings throughout the state, gathering information from their constituents on the matter. The commission is scheduled to arrive in Miami at the University of Miami. Prepare a set of talking points for your testimony before the commission, taking on the role of ONE of the following individuals and explain:

Answer 1

The Equal Rights Amendment was proposed to end gender discrimination but faced opposition and did not achieve the required ratification by 38 states despite passing Congress in 1972. Supporters of the ERA aimed for constitutional assurance of gender equality, while opponents feared it might affect issues like military conscription or alimony rights.

• The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a significant legislative goal pursued by proponents of gender equality.
• First proposed by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman in 1923, it passed Congress in 1972 but required ratification by three-fourths of the states.
• The ERA stipulated that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."
• This was a clear move to provide universal legal support against gender discrimination.
• Although there was initial momentum, with 35 states ratifying the ERA, opposition arose over concerns that the amendment would lead to women being subject to military conscription and affect issues such as alimony and child custody in the event of divorce.
• As a result, support faltered, and despite Congress extending the ratification deadline from 1979 to 1982, the ERA did not meet the threshold of 38 states required for adoption into the Constitution.
• In the town hall meetings, as a proponent of the ERA, you would highlight the need for constitutional backing to secure gender equality and address any fears head-on, emphasizing that similar amendments in states did not result in the dire outcomes proposed by opponents.
• You would argue for Florida to be the state that moves the nation forward in promoting equal rights for both men and women.