The Equal Rights Amendment and Utah facts for kids
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed change to the United States Constitution. From the 1960s to the 1980s, people who supported the ERA wanted each state to approve it. Even though the U.S. Senate passed the ERA on March 22, 1972, the state of Utah voted against it many times.
Different groups formed to support or oppose the ERA. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a major group against it. The Church organized its women and other members to oppose the ERA. They also worked with other groups that were against the amendment. The Utah Legislature officially voted down the ERA in 1975. Today, Utah still has many groups and different opinions about the Equal Rights Amendment, which has not yet been fully approved across the country.
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What is the Equal Rights Amendment?
The Equal Rights Amendment was first written by Alice Paul in 1923. It was finally passed by the U.S. Congress in 1972. After that, 38 states needed to approve it within seven years for it to become part of the Constitution.
The ERA had three main parts:
- Section 1: Everyone should have equal rights under the law, no matter their sex.
- Section 2: Congress has the power to make laws to ensure these rights.
- Section 3: This amendment would start two years after it was approved.
Across the country, some groups supported the ERA, and others were against it. Supporters saw the ERA as a way to achieve legal equality. They believed it would provide equal chances in jobs and education. More conservative groups worried the ERA might remove special protections women already had. Some arguments against the ERA included concerns about women being drafted into the military and about unisex bathrooms.
Groups Against the ERA in Utah
Why Some Opposed the ERA
A national leader against the ERA was Phyllis Schlafly. She was very involved in the movement against the ERA in Utah. Schlafly started the National Committee to Stop ERA in 1972. In 1975, this group became the Eagle Forum. The Eagle Forum became a popular group for women in Utah who opposed the ERA. Phyllis Schlafly continued to influence women in Utah. Many people at a big women's convention in Salt Lake City carried her materials. They voted against the ERA. Other groups also opposed the ERA, like Humanitarians Opposed to Degrading Our Girls (HOTDOG).
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Role
When the Equal Rights Amendment was being developed in the 1960s and early 1970s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not say much. However, as the ERA moved to the states for approval, the Church began to speak out against it.
In 1971, the Church President, Joseph Fielding Smith, made a statement in the Ensign magazine. He talked about the important role of women in society and at home. He warned that media messages were trying to change the special role of mothers. At a Church meeting in April 1971, H. Burke Peterson said that women working outside the home could lead to families being neglected. In October 1973, N. Eldon Tanner also spoke about how women's changing roles could be a temptation.
The Relief Society, a women's group in the Church, also shared this message against the ERA. The Church's Special Affairs Committee asked Relief Society leaders to work directly against the amendment. This brought many women in Utah into politics. They became a key force in stopping the ERA.
The Church made its position even clearer with official statements starting in 1975. An editorial in Church News explained the different roles of men and women. It said the ERA was not needed. In November 1974, about 63% of people in Utah supported the ERA. After the Church's official statement in 1975, support dropped to 31% by February 1975.
How LDS Women Organized Against the ERA
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints saw the fight against the ERA as part of a larger movement. The International Women's Year (IWY) state conference gave Mormon women a chance to act. The Church asked each local congregation to send ten conservative women to the conference. They hoped to have so many women there that they could influence the votes. A total of 13,867 women attended the state conference.
These women worked together, sometimes using walkie-talkies to coordinate. They voted down any proposal without discussion, even some that might have helped their own goals. Similar actions happened in other states where many LDS women lived. Through these efforts, the Church became a strong opponent of the ERA in Utah and across the country.
Groups Supporting the ERA in Utah
Early Efforts for Women's Rights
Following a national example, Utah's Governor Clyde created the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women in 1964. This all-women committee in Utah focused on general women's issues. They wrote reports about unfair treatment against women. Later, the committee worked to convince the Utah legislature to approve the ERA. Committee members also made and shared flyers supporting the ERA.
A well-known group supporting the ERA was the National Organization for Women (NOW). It was started by Betty Friedan in 1966. Members of NOW focused on public opinion and worked to change laws. NOW was also one of the groups that protested the IWY Convention. They were against the Church's involvement. Other groups supporting the ERA at the convention included the Order of Women Legislators, Women's Democratic Club, Equal Rights Coalition of Utah, League of Women Voters, and the National Reproductive Rights Action League.
Some universities in Utah started programs about women's studies during this time. For example, at Utah State University, about 280 students took women's studies courses by 1976–77. These university courses helped teach people about women's rights and the ERA.
LDS Members Who Supported the ERA
Another group formed to support the ERA in Utah was Mormons for ERA. It was started in 1978. Sonia Johnson was its first president. This group worked to convince people, held public debates, and raised awareness about related issues. Mormons for ERA was created when only three more states were needed to approve the ERA. Sonia Johnson even spoke to the Utah legislature to argue for the amendment.
In 1979, Sonia Johnson was removed from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After this, Mormons for ERA gained much more national attention. After the ERA was not approved, Mormons for ERA lost members and support. However, the group was restarted in 2015 and still exists today.
The ERA Today
The deadline for approving the ERA ended in 1982. But some people still hoped it could be approved later. Since 1982, Illinois and Nevada have both approved the ERA. This means the nation is only one state short of the original 38 states needed. In 2019, Virginia elected a majority of Democratic lawmakers. Many ERA supporters believe Virginia could become the 38th state to approve what might become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
While 37 states have approved the amendment, five states have since changed their minds and canceled their approval. These states are Nebraska, Tennessee, Kentucky, Idaho, and South Dakota. It is still a question how the discussion about the ERA will continue if 38 states eventually approve it.
Today, people who support the ERA are excited about Utah possibly being the last state needed to approve it. Women like Kate Kelly, Sara Vranes, and Anissa Rasheta are very involved with the Utah Mormons for ERA movement. They are working on the same goals as the group started in 1978. In the last ten years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has remained neutral about the ERA in Utah.
