From Women’s Suffrage to the ERA | The Vote | Retro Report | American Experience | PBS

Summary

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), first introduced in 1923, aimed to bar sex-based discrimination in the US Constitution. Despite initial support, it faced opposition from those fearing it would undermine special protections for women. The ERA gained momentum in the 1970s, with 30 states ratifying it within a year. However, it ultimately fell short, missing the required 38 states. Today, the ERA's fight continues, fueled by a new generation advocating for women's rights and equality, amidst ongoing legal challenges and political opposition.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a constitutional amendment aimed at barring discrimination based on sex.
• 🗳️ Virginia's ratification in 2020 marked a significant moment in the long history of the ERA, which has been debated for nearly a century.
• 🏛️ The ERA was first introduced to Congress in 1923 by Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party, following women's suffrage in 1920.
• 👥 The amendment faced opposition from women who feared it would undermine special protections like shorter workdays that were hard-won for women's welfare.
• 🔄 The debate over the ERA reflects the evolving discussion on gender roles and equality, with concerns about how it might affect women's rights and privileges.
• 🔗 The ERA gained momentum in the 1970s as labor protections expanded and the women's movement grew, leading to its passage in both the House and Senate by 1972.
• 🚫 Phyllis Schlafly's opposition, along with the rise of the religious Right, contributed to the ERA falling three states short of ratification by the 1982 deadline.
• 🔄 The ERA has seen a revival in recent years, with the #MeToo movement and the fight for equal pay bringing it back into the spotlight.
• 🏢 The House of Representatives voted to remove the 1982 deadline for the ERA, but it still faces opposition from Senate Republicans and the Trump administration.
• 🏛️ The ERA's future remains uncertain due to ongoing litigation and the question of states attempting to rescind their ratifications.

Q & A

What is the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)?

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex.

Why was the ERA first introduced in 1923?

The ERA was first introduced in 1923 by Alice Paul and her collaborators to address the legal discrimination against women and to ensure that constitutionally, discrimination based on sex would be illegal and unconstitutional.

What were the concerns raised by women who had worked for suffrage regarding the ERA?

Some women who had worked for suffrage were concerned that the ERA would eliminate laws that protected women in the workplace, such as special labor protections like shorter workdays, which they had fought hard to establish.

How did the labor movement's perspective on the ERA change over time?

Initially, labor unions and reformers were opposed to the ERA, fearing it would undercut hard-won special protections for women. However, by the 1970s, with labor protections expanding for both genders, opposition to the ERA from labor receded.

What was the role of Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party in advocating for the ERA?

Alice Paul, a founder of the National Woman’s Party, and her organization were instrumental in advocating for the ERA over several decades, pushing for its adoption through Congress and rallying support among the public.

Why did the ERA gain momentum in the 1970s?

The ERA gained momentum in the 1970s due to growing bipartisan support in Congress, the rise of the women's movement, and the receding labor opposition as labor protections expanded for both men and women.

Who was Phyllis Schlafly and what was her stance on the ERA?

Phyllis Schlafly was a conservative activist who led the opposition to the ERA. She argued that the ERA would undermine traditional gender roles and take away rights and privileges that women currently enjoyed.

What was the impact of the Moral Majority and the religious Right on the ERA's ratification?

The Moral Majority and the religious Right, led by figures like Phyllis Schlafly, played a significant role in opposing the ERA. Their influence contributed to a receptive audience among women concerned about changing gender roles, which ultimately helped stall the ERA's ratification.

Why did the ERA fail to be ratified by the required number of states by 1982?

The ERA failed to be ratified by the required 38 states by the 1982 deadline due to a strong opposition movement led by Phyllis Schlafly and the rise of the religious Right, which swayed public opinion and led to states not ratifying the amendment.

What recent developments have there been regarding the ERA?

In recent years, following the MeToo movement and the fight for equal pay, there has been a revival of interest in the ERA. The House of Representatives voted to remove the 1982 deadline, and states like Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia have led efforts to ratify the amendment.

What is the current status of the ERA?

As of the information provided, the ERA remains unratified by the required number of states, with ongoing litigation and political opposition complicating its path to becoming part of the U.S. Constitution.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Journey of the Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a constitutional amendment aimed at barring discrimination based on sex, has been a contentious issue in the United States for nearly a century. Virginia's ratification in 2020 marked a significant milestone, but the amendment's path has been fraught with challenges. Introduced to Congress in 1923 by Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party, the ERA faced opposition from women who feared it would undermine hard-won labor protections. Over time, as women's participation in the workforce grew and labor protections expanded, support for the ERA increased. By the 1970s, it seemed on the verge of adoption, but a conservative backlash led by Phyllis Schlafly halted its progress. Despite the ERA's failure to be ratified by the required number of states, the movement for gender equality persists, with new generations continuing the fight for its enshrinement in the Constitution.

05:01

🔄 The ERA's Revival Amidst Changing Societal Dynamics

The Equal Rights Amendment's (ERA) journey has seen a resurgence in recent years, driven by a new generation of activists and lawmakers. The ERA, which fell short of ratification in 1982, has been revisited in the context of the #MeToo movement and the ongoing fight for equal pay. Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia have led the charge, with the House of Representatives voting to remove the 1982 deadline. However, opposition from Senate Republicans and the Trump administration, along with legal challenges from states seeking to rescind their ratifications, have complicated the amendment's path to the Constitution. Despite these obstacles, the ERA remains a symbol of the ongoing struggle for women's rights, with advocates arguing that its ratification is essential for ensuring gender equality in law and society.

Keywords

💡Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that seeks to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. It is central to the video's theme, illustrating the ongoing struggle for gender equality in the U.S. The script mentions the ERA's introduction into Congress in 1923 and its subsequent journey, including ratification by states and opposition that nearly led to its adoption.

💡Ratification

Ratification in the context of the video refers to the process by which a constitutional amendment is approved by the states and becomes part of the Constitution. The video discusses Virginia's ratification of the ERA, which was a significant step towards the amendment's potential inclusion in the Constitution, despite subsequent legal challenges.

💡Sex Discrimination

Sex discrimination is the differential treatment or consideration of individuals based on their sex. The ERA aims to bar such discrimination, as highlighted in the script with its 24-word core. The video's narrative shows the historical and ongoing fight against sex discrimination as a central theme.

💡Alice Paul

Alice Paul was a suffragist and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the push for women's suffrage and the ERA. The video mentions her as a founder of the National Woman’s Party and her radical steps, such as hunger strikes, to advocate for women's rights, illustrating her significance in the history of the ERA.

💡National Woman’s Party

The National Woman’s Party was an American political organization founded by Alice Paul and others that advocated for women's rights, including the passage of the ERA. The video underscores the party's efforts in pushing the ERA through Congress over several decades, demonstrating its role in the women's rights movement.

💡Labor Protections

Labor protections refer to laws and regulations that safeguard workers' rights and welfare. The video discusses how some women feared the ERA would undermine hard-won labor protections, such as minimum wage laws for women, reflecting a key debate in the ERA's history.

💡Phyllis Schlafly

Phyllis Schlafly was a conservative activist who led the opposition against the ERA in the 1970s. The video describes her campaign that resonated with women concerned about changing gender roles and the rise of the religious Right, which played a significant role in the ERA's failure to be ratified by the required number of states.

💡MeToo Movement

The MeToo Movement is a social movement against sexual harassment and assault. The video connects the resurgence of interest in the ERA to the MeToo Movement, indicating a renewed push for gender equality and women's rights in the context of contemporary social change.

💡Bipartisan Support

Bipartisan support implies agreement and cooperation across different political parties. The video notes the growing bipartisan support in Congress for the ERA in the 1970s, highlighting a moment of unity in the push for gender equality in law.

💡Moral Majority

The Moral Majority was a conservative political movement in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. The video mentions this group as part of the organized opposition to the ERA, reflecting the cultural and political dynamics of the time that influenced the amendment's fate.

💡Rescission

Rescission refers to the act of canceling or taking back a previous action or decision. The video raises the issue of some states attempting to rescind their ratifications of the ERA, adding complexity to the legal status and future of the amendment.

Highlights

Virginia ratified the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in January, but the move drew challenges from five Republican Attorneys General.

The ERA would bar discrimination on the basis of sex and has been a subject of debate for nearly 100 years.

The suffrage movement secured women's right to vote in 1920, but for many, like Alice Paul, that was only the beginning of the fight for true equality.

Many states had laws that disadvantaged married women, such as denying them control over their earnings or children.

Alice Paul and her collaborators proposed the ERA in 1923 to make gender discrimination unconstitutional.

Concerns arose from labor reformers who feared the ERA would undo workplace protections for women.

The ERA faced a significant challenge when the Supreme Court struck down a law guaranteeing minimum wages for women, citing suffrage as evidence that sex inequality was diminishing.

Support for the ERA grew in the 1970s, culminating in overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress.

By 1972, both the House and Senate passed the ERA, and 30 of the 38 required states ratified it within a year.

Opposition led by conservative figure Phyllis Schlafly and the rise of the religious Right blocked further ratification, leaving the ERA three states short by 1982.

In recent years, a new generation of women in state legislatures revived the fight for the ERA, influenced by movements like MeToo.

Democrats in Congress voted to remove the 1982 deadline, but opposition remains from Senate Republicans and the Trump administration.

Five states have attempted to rescind their ratification of the ERA, leading to ongoing litigation and uncertainty.

A century after the ERA was first proposed, it remains unratified, although significant legal and policy changes have been made for women's rights.

Many believe the ERA is essential for recognizing past efforts and securing women's rights moving forward.

Transcripts

For the women of Virginia and the women of America, the resolution has finally passed.

[cheers]

[NARRATOR:] Last January, Virginia became the latest state to ratify a constitutional amendment

that the country has been fighting about for nearly 100 years:

the Equal Rights Amendment.

But the move quickly drew challenges….

[REPORTER:] Five Republican Attorneys General are seeking to block an effort

to see the Equal Rights Amendment adopted into the US constitution.

[NARRATOR:] The heart of the ERA is only 24 words.

It would bar discrimination on the basis of sex.

And the story of its long, circuitous path

illustrates the changing debate in America about women’s rights.

[NEWSREEL:] The most dramatic step to date in woman's campaign for equal rights.

[NARRATOR:] In 1920, women had just secured the right to vote.

[NEWSREEL:] Women in Illinois are quick to register and vote

while energetic suffrage adherents realize their long campaign is over.

[NARRATOR:] The struggle for suffrage had taken decades.

And the final few years had pushed leaders like Alice Paul,

a founder of the National Woman’s Party,

to take radical steps for the cause.

[NEWSREEL:] Ms. Paul, a dramatic campaigner, had gone on a hunger strike earlier

in an effort to force congressional action.

[NARRATOR:] But for Paul, winning the vote was just the beginning.

Many states had laws that made it difficult for married women to work.

If married women worked, they didn’t necessarily own their own earnings.

And they didn’t have the same rights as husbands and fathers over their own children.

So they thought that if they had a constitutional amendment

that made discrimination against women illegal and unconstitutional,

that would be a huge step towards women actually being equal in society.

[NARRATOR:] Paul and her collaborators proposed what became known as the Equal Rights Amendment,

and it was first introduced into Congress in 1923.

But the seemingly straightforward idea

raised concerns from many of the women

who had worked together for suffrage.

[SUK:] They were worried that it would wipe out laws

that they had worked to get on the books

to actually protect women in the workplace.

[NEWSREEL:] America at the turn of the century.

On the assembly line, as in the home,

a woman’s work is never done.

[NARRATOR:] Those special protections for women, like shorter work days,

were hard won by progressive reformers like Florence Kelley,

and based on the idea that women,

particularly vulnerable to exploitation,

needed to be treated differently.

The reformers and labor unions feared these protections would be undercut

by an amendment guaranteeing equality of the sexes.

[SUK:] That fear was not unreasonable,

because the Supreme Court did strike down a law

that guaranteed minimum wages for women.

They pointed to the fact that women now have the constitutional right to vote

as evidence that sex inequality was on its way out.

[NARRATOR:] But for people like Alice Paul,

special labor protections for one gender were at odds with the idea of equality.

[NARRATOR:] It was a debate that would follow the ERA through time

as women entered the workforce in increasing numbers….

[NEWSREEL:] Employers find that women can do many jobs as well as men, some jobs better.

[NARRATOR:] And Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party continued to press their case

for the ERA over the next four decades.

[NEWSREEL:] Surrounded by memories of suffragettes, these ladies have pursued the goal of a fair and

equal break rate for American women.

[NARRATOR:] By the early 1970s, labor opposition to the ERA was receding, in part because labor

protections were expanding for both women and men.

And with growing bipartisan support in congress, and momentum from

The burgeoning women’s movement…

Equal rights to have a job, to have respect, to not be viewed as a piece of Meat...

[NARRATOR:] The calls for the ERA were becoming too powerful to ignore.

[ALICE PAUL:] Gradually instead of a little tiny cluster, we now have 10 million women

backing this particular measure before Congress.

[BELLA ABZUG:] We will settle for nothing less in the ultimate than equal representation

in all levels of political power.

[NARRATOR:] Congresswoman Martha Griffiths had repeatedly introduced the ERA

into the House over the years

and finally succeeded in forcing the Amendment onto the floor in 1970,

where the broad backing for the measure soon became clear.

[SUK:] Once it did get a full debate,

well over 90 percent of the House actually voted for the ERA.

[NEWSREEL:] The House today by the overwhelming vote of 354 to 23,

passed a proposed constitutional amendment

to guarantee equal rights for women.

[NARRATOR:] By 1972, both the House and Senate had passed the ERA.

[NEWSREEL:] The agreement now goes to the states and must be ratified by 38 of them.

[NARRATOR:] And within one year, 30 states, out of the 38 needed, ratified it...

but then, an opposition movement emerged,

led by conservative Phyllis Schlafly.

The wife has the legal right to be a full-time wife and mother

supported by her husband.

[NARRATOR:] The campaign found a receptive audience

among women concerned about changing gender roles.

The major objection to the equal rights amendment

is that it would take away from women

rights and privileges which they now have.

[NARRATOR:] Schlafly’s push dovetailed with the rise of the powerful religious Right,

and ERA proponents were stunned.

The women here now fear they are facing an organized enemy,

the Moral Majority and conservative groups

who have found a newly powerful voice since the 1980 election.

[NARRATOR:] In the end, the amendment fell three states short

when the ratification period expired in 1982.

The chimes strike at midnight for ratification of the ERA.

At that moment the ERA becomes DOA.

[NARRATOR:] But now over three decades later,

as the number of women in Congress and State Houses reaches a record high,

a new generation is reviving the ERA.

There is only one way to spell equality

and that is simply ERA.

[NARRATOR:] Women in the Nevada, Illinois and Virginia legislatures are leading the fight.

[REPORTER:] In the wake of the MeToo movement and the fight for equal pay,

the ERA came back to life.

What do we want? Equal rights!

When do we want it? Now!

[REPORTER:] Democrats in Congress are pushing for its addition to the Constitution.

[NARRATOR:] The House of Representatives voted to remove the 1982 deadline.

But Senate Republicans and the Trump administration remain opposed.

And there’s also the question of the five states

that have tried to rescind their ratifications of the amendment.

[SUK:] Ongoing litigation makes it unclear when or if it will be added.

[NARRATOR:] Today, a century after the ERA was first conceived,

it continues to hang in limbo.

Over the decades, women have made gains through other changes in laws and policies.

But the need for ratification remains

for many of the women at the center of the struggle now --

as a way to recognize the work that’s come before,

and to ensure women’s rights going forward.

When you enshrine my constitutional rights,

as a human being equal to men,

well then that is the only thing that’s acceptable.

Persistence, faith, and hope fuel the indomitable spirit of this movement.

We got tired but we did not faint.

We became weary but we did not stop.

History demands that we take a stand.

The struggle continues and the work is not done.