Equal Rights AmendmentI. Introduction Equal Rights Amendment, abbreviated as ERA, is a proposed but negated amendment to the United States Constitution, designed initially to abrogate many federal and state laws that persecute women.
Its central elemental principle asserted that under the law, equal rights should not be repealed or denied by the U.S. or any state because of sex. The truth regarding the ERA is that legally, under the constitution, women’s rights are different from men’s rights. Equality: The quality or state of being equal, specifically in rights, opportunities, and status. All inhabitants in the U.S. are striving to be equal just like other Americans.
However, the truth is, the U.S. Constitution does not assert that women and men have equal rights. II. Discussion The ERA was put forth in 1923. Fifteen states decided against ratifying the amendment.
The ERAs mission is to confirm and validate an amendment that declares, women and men both have equal rights. Alice Paul initially introduced the ERA and toiled to show its benefits. Her message became extensively popular that people named the amendment in her honor. The amendment was in 1921 presented to Congress and has incited debates about the meaning of parity for women and men. Early in its formation, middle-class women highly supported the ERA, whereas working-class women were regularly opposed, stating that employed women required special protections regarding employment hours and working conditions. With the augmentation of women’s movements in the U.
S. in the sixties, the ERA gained increased backing, and, after Martha Griffiths (ERA Representative) reintroduced it in 1971, it was approved by both Congress houses in 1972 and was presented for ratification to the state legislature. Congress had initially set 22nd March 1979 as the ratification deadline. Through 1977, the ERA received thirty-five of the required thirty-eight state ratifications. With extensive, bipartisan support, the amendment seemed directed toward affirmation, until Phyllis Schlafly assembled conventional women in resistance, asserting that the ERA would inconvenience homemakers and enable the drafting of women into militaries. Four states annulled their approval before the set deadline; however, there exists no mechanism or precedent within the U.
S. Constitution for repealing, thus making it a legal question. A joint congress resolution prolonged the ratification deadline in 1978, and set it to 30th June 1982; however, no added sates approved the amendment before the extended deadline. On 22nd March 2017, the 45th commemoration of Congress’s presentation of the amendment to the states, the legislature of Nevada was the first to approve the ERA after the initial deadline’s expiration.
Undoubtedly, many American Citizens support the ERA ramification. The ERA provides legal and constitutional grounds for both women and men to have equal chances. This, I believe would mitigate workplace discrimination along with other institutions that may discriminate individuals because of sex. No discrimination against either sex would exist because their rights would be officially protected in the U.S.
Constitution. The ERA would aid in clarifying the status of sex discrimination for courts. Henceforth, sex would be a determinant for suspect clarification. Both sexes would be given equal treatment in regards to criminal facilities, and the treatment they receive while serving time in these facilities. The ERAs ratification will put forth a strong message to all inhabitants of the U.
S.A. If the ratification does not occur soon, women’s discrimination will become harsher. The message this sends is – the constitution has no tolerance for sex discrimination. The ERA will be advantageous for women and men. For instance, males working in same workplaces as women do not typically receive the salaries females receive. If the ERA is passed, this automatically changes.
There are previous cases where American women have children overseas. Under the constitution, the child birthed overseas automatically becomes a citizen. This is not applicable to men.
If an infant is birthed from an American man and a non-American woman, the child is declared non-American. If the ERA is passed, this will change; therefore, such problems would be inexistent. Many myths regarding after the ERA ratification are present. The first states that women will be drafted alongside men. This is false. The truth is, Congress has the authority to do so even without the ratification of this amendment. The second asserts that the ERA will permit same-sex marriage.
This is also false. Although the ERA alleges that women and men are guaranteed equal rights, it states nothing regarding marriage. Same-sex marriage is not included in the ERA and will not alter its ratification. The third myth asserts that the ERA will hold no purpose reason being, women rights are already safeguarded under the fourteenth amendment.
The fourteenth amendment declares that “No state shall enforce nor make laws which abridge the immunities or privileges of U.S. citizens; nor shall any state divest any individual of property, life, or liberty, without due law processes; now refute any individual within its jurisdiction the equal protection of laws.”Some controversy has accompanied the ERA ratification because some individuals worry that the ERA will negatively affect the society; though some similar problems have previously been resolved using similar techniques. To support my point, the Civil War Act benefited many individuals, including African Americans. Back then, racism was a huge issue, but after the Act was ratified, racism was somehow mitigated and was no more tolerated in the U.S.
The ERA, and the Civil War Acts are similar. Just like the Civil War Acts eradicated the racism issue, the ERA will eliminate the problem of sex discrimination. Various recent events with the ERA as the theme discussion are still voting to expand the constitutional amendment strategy that would mitigate any discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, national origin, race, marital status, and sex.
Personally, I believe the ratification of the ERA would mitigate discrimination problems faced in daily America. III. Conclusion Equality is one quality that cannot be handed to individuals. Equality must be earned and attained, by determination and hard work.
Though the ratification has previously been rejected, many individuals feel the ERA ratification is required, not only for women to no longer deal with discrimination but for all Americans to have equal rights. Future occurrences will shape what will happen to the ERA, and the ratification of such amendments, but for now, the truth is, under the U.S. Constitution, women’s rights are more inferior compared to men’s rights.
