The Pros And Cons Of The Equal Rights Amendment - 1239 Words

The full text of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) reads as follows, â€Å"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex† (qtd. in Stewart 33). These twenty-four words would become some of the most controversial of the twentieth century. Under the nineteenth amendment, American women obtained the right to vote in 1920. This amendment inspired Alice Paul to draft the first ERA which she then introduced to the United States Congress in 1923. After this first proposal, the ERA would eventually be proposed in each succeeding session of Congress (Stewart 33). Despite its introduction every year for fifty years, the ERA did not accumulate a strong opposing force until after it†¦show more content†¦The opponents viewed the traditional role of Housewife as the most fulfilling job a woman could have; Schlafly herself called the American housewife a â€Å"domestic economist† (46). Those involved wit h Schlafly’s STOP ERA campaign saw the proposed amendment as a way to force women to be more like men by pressuring them to take jobs outside the home and provide for themselves themselves rather than be financially supported solely by their husbands. Reverend Jerry Falwell once said, â€Å"God Almighty created men and women biologically different and with differing needs and roles. Good husbands who are godly men are good leaders. Their wives and children want to follow them† (B5). According to this man, God wanted women to be subject to their husbands. Ratification of the ERA could allow women to no longer be bound by their husbands, therefore upsetting God and his idea of what a family should be. As simple as it sounds, extending the Constitution to women through the ERA, led the religious to oppose it because of the fear it would create disruption within the traditional Judeo-Christian family structure. Another supposed attack on the family was the presumed inclusion of a woman’s right to abortion in the Equal Rights Amendment, though it was never actually included in the text of the ERA.Show MoreRelatedPros and Cons of the Equal Rights Amendment Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesPros and Cons of the Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment began its earliest discussions in 1920. These discussions took place immediately after two-thirds of the states approved womens suffrage. The nineteenth century was intertwined with several feminist movements such as abortion, temperance, birth control and equality. Many lobbyists and political education groups formed in these times. One such organization is the Eagle Forum, who claims to lead the pro-family movement. OnRead MorePros And Cons Of The Equal Rights Amendment1887 Words   |  8 Pages Should women be treated equal to any other person under the law? Should the United States of America abolish all legal differences of men and women? This is a very controversial topic and the discussion of this goes all the way back to the early feminist movement of the ninteenhundreds. Equality for women could be accomplished if the equal rights amendment is ratified by the states. The Equal Rights Amendment states, â€Å"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the UnitedRead MoreThe Fourth Amendment Of The United States Constitution1327 Words   |  6 Pagesfourth amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights, and was introduced to Congress by James Madison in 1789. The role of the Fourth Amendment is to prohibit unreasonable search and seizure and a warrant is to be required that is supported by probable cause. Even though the Amendment was introduced in 1789, it wasn’t adopted as an official amendment until 1792, because in December of 1791 three quarters of the states had ratified the amendment. 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