Equal Rights for All: The Similar Rights Amendment - Essay Sample

Introduction

Similar Rights Amendment is an amendment in the United States constitution that seeks to provide equal rights for both males and females (Lerma, 2015). Therefore, the bill offers no boundaries between males and females hence combating the legal distinctions that existed between women and men (Lerma, 2015). Before, there used to be distinctions between the US citizens, and there was a need to mitigate the differences. Employment, divorce, and property ownership are among the legal awards that existed among males and females. This created dominance between the two sexes; hence, equalizing the legal distinction was vital to bring the two parties, men and women, on the same bench.

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At first, the ERA was drafted by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman. This was a significant move the two took in making sure there is equality among the male and women. After writing, in the year 1923 December, they introduced the amendment to the congress. This, therefore, brought a new face in the US as arguments arose. As usual, there must be opposition and proposing parties. Via the introduction of the ERA to the congress, there appeared a mixed reaction on it. On the proposing party, women were the majority. In particular, middle-class women were supportive of the amendment. This is because they were the most oppressed people hence bringing this amendment brought light in their life.

Through massive support of women in concern with the Equal Rights Amendment, there arose the Women's Movement in the United States of American 1960s. This movement played vital roles in the reinforcement of the amendment. There were representatives, including Martha Griffins, who geared the change in the year 1971 until later on 22, March 1972, US House of Representatives approved the amendment (Lerma, 2015). The bill was approved by the senate of which it was taken for ratification in the State Legislatures, as indicated in article 5 of the constitution of the US. This was a very crucial state as far as passing the amendment was concerned.

In the process of ratification, at first, the deadline had been set to be 22nd March 1979 (Lerma, 2015). Even though 35 states out of 38 states ratified, there still existed opposition from Phyllis Schlafly, who was the main element is mobilizing conservative women in opposing the amendment (Lerma, 2015). They argued that the change was disadvantageous to the housewives. Additionally, there was opposition from the labor feminist who alleged that if the amendment was passed, there could be a gap of women in the labor law. This means that there would be mitigation in the protection of women in the labor law. This arose the emotions of many women leading to the many unions and labor feminists supporting the opposition through their leaders.

Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee and South Dakota revoked their ratification towards ERA. In 1978, the ratification period was extended by a simple majority in the house and president Carter's signature. The deadline was pushed up to 30 June 1982 (Lerma, 2015). This was done following the fact that there was no additional state legislature ratification in the period between 22 March 1979 and 30 June 1982 (Lerma, 2015). This was a challenge hence the need to remove deadline and extent it was crucial. It should be remembered that this was the idea proposed in congress. This clearly shows how the amendment was so hard to be ratified. It should be remembered that according to Article 5 of the United States constitution, the nation is only mandated to approve and amendment.

As it is stipulated, the amendment becomes the law only after is passed by three-quarter of the states. That is in the US, 38 states should adopt the bill to become the law. Ever since the ERA was brought on board, it went multiple challenges from states. This means that t6here are several countries that failed to pass the amendment hence making the amendment pending for a long time. With the vote by 37 states, this indicates that the change have only one country to be a legal law (Lerma, 2015). This comes after the amendment was given a new look in the year 2018. It should be remembered that in 22nd March 1979, 35 states gave in their votes of ratification, and in the year 2018, Illinois also gave in her election, which made the ERA have a total of 37 sates (Lerma, 2015).

With the positive show from the women, the amendment have upper hand benefit to women. Sexual discrimination, property ownership, and divorce are the things that have been affecting women. To end this, therefore, campaigns were held to ensure the amendment passes to ensure women and males have equal rights. With the effort to find one remaining state, the targeted countries are Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina. With the challenges the amendment have been going through like the deadline ratification, there emerged politics instead of the ratification period being in the year 1982, the bill was broken, and there was no deadline for it (Lerma, 2015). There are reasons behind the procrastination of the ratification of this amendment, with many assuming that rights equality already exists in America.

There will be a difference when the amendment passes. Basing on the fact that the bill have taken several decades without being given, the concern has arisen. This means that many people have dug deep into the amendment and have vast knowledge behind it. Now, the change is neared to being approved. Only one nation remaining to support it and make it a legal law in the US (Lerma, 2015). This will bring a new face.

There will emerge changes when the amendment is passed in several ways. One is that divorce may be more rampant. Married couples will have the next option basing on the bill, and whenever the small misunderstanding between the spouses, they lean on the amendment for protection and solving problems. As it is significant, a female almost wants to overtake women. Passing the bill will cause them to have more power over men. It is unable to keep people balanced, and hence, the need to be over the other always exists. Superiority is not something that have been born yesterday. It emerged in times of creation, and God mandated more power to a man than a woman. A woman was to live under the man. Having the law will agitate women to exercise their control more aggressively hence overcoming men. In the future, I allege that there may rise a concern to safeguard the rights of a man if the amendment is approved. This is because the change is in favor of the woman.

References

Lerma, Veronica Monique. (2015). The Equal Rights Amendment and the case of the rescinding states: A comparative historical analysis. eScholarship, University of California.

The equal rights amendment. (October 01, 2015). Women's studies quarterly, 43, 271