Equal Rights Amendment Club

By Harley Wolfgang

Photo from Time Magazine (https://time.com/5657997/equal-rights-amendment-history/)

I read an article in the Rocket a few days ago, which you can access here, that talked about a new club initiative on campus. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first proposed in 1923 by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman. The original version was called the "Lucretia Mott Amendment." This amendment would prohibit sex discrimination in many areas, including employment, education, reproductive rights, and insurance. It would also clarify that sex discrimination violates constitutional rights. You know, ‘cause the original constitution only talks about men.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t received well, and no progress was made for a long time. In 1972, the ERA was proposed to the states with a ratification deadline of 1979. The deadline was extended to June 30, 1982, but ultimately came up short – failing to gain the required ratification by 38 states.

Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly led a campaign arguing that the ERA would harm women by eliminating gender-specific protections, leading some states to rescind their ratifications.

Since then, in the late 2010s-2020s, three more states have ratified the amendment – which means we technically meet the required number of ratifications. But the conversation is now pointing toward how the deadline has long passed, so is it still valid? If added to the Constitution, the ERA would provide a clear constitutional guarantee of gender equality. But some members of Congress have been hesitant, and with the recent election, some are feeling even more bleak about the potential outcome.

Here’s where the ERA club comes in! Ariella Westreich, a freshman at SRU, is aiming to get students on campus to sign the petition to have the amendment ratified. She is hoping to start a club that educates students on the amendment and the petitions. Below is a copy of the flier Ariella has been hanging up around campus and sharing on social media. If you’re interested you can scan the QR code to sign the petition or email Ariella (ajw1044@sru.edu) to learn more.

Shout out to the Rocket assistant student life editor, Kayla Raynak, for telling us about this initiative!