Equal Rights Amendment facts for kids

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed change to the Constitution of the United States. It aims to make sure that all people, no matter their gender, have the same rights under the law. Alice Paul first wrote the ERA. It was first introduced in the U.S. Congress in 1923.

In 1972, the ERA passed both the House and the Senate. This happened after groups like the National Organization for Women protested to support it. However, some people were against the ERA. They felt women were already gaining equality. Also, some worried it might mean women could be drafted into the military, like during the Vietnam War.

For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, 38 states must agree to it. The ERA was ratified by 35 states, but it needed 38. Most of the states that did not ratify it were in the Southern United States. This part of the country is often more traditional.

Today, 21 states have their own versions of the ERA in their state constitutions. Sixteen of these states also ratified the federal ERA. Five states have their own version but did not ratify the federal one. The ERA has been reintroduced in every session of Congress since 1982. In 2011, many members of the House and Senate supported its reintroduction.

What the Equal Rights Amendment Says

The Equal Rights Amendment has three main sections. Here is what each section means:

Section 1. This part says that the government, both federal and state, cannot deny or limit anyone's rights because of their sex. It means everyone should be treated equally under the law, no matter if they are male or female.

Section 2. This section gives Congress the power to create laws. These laws would help make sure the rules in Section 1 are followed. It allows Congress to enforce equal rights for everyone.

Section 3. This final part states that the amendment would become official two years after enough states ratify it. This two-year period would give states time to adjust their laws.

Images for kids

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  Alice Paul toasting (with grape juice) the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, August 26, 1920

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  U.S. representative Martha W. Griffiths championed the ERA.

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  President Carter signing H.J.Res. 638 on October 20, 1978

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  Pro-ERA march at the 1980 Republican National Convention, the first presidential election year that the party dropped its support for the ERA in four decades

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  Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative activist, organized opposition to the ERA and argued that it "would lead to women being drafted by the military and to public unisex bathrooms".

See also

In Spanish: Enmienda de Igualdad de Derechos para niños