Essay On The Equal Rights Amendment

1064 Words3 Pages

Women have struggled for many decades to receive the same rights as men. The feminist movement in the 1970’s was accelerated by women who were tired of being second rate citizens. Women took many strides during the 1970’s including the push for the approval of the equal rights amendment, protests, and workplace strikes just to name a few. Despite the failure of the equal rights amendment’s passing, women were not deterred and continued their struggle to receive the same rights as men. The persistent fight for equality has brought equality for women which is evident today. This essay will examine how women continued to fight for equality after the equal rights amendment failed and because of their persistence, the equal rights amendment
Soule (2006, p.1875) attributes the failure of the equal rights amendment to politics. Soule explains that the states that were likely to support the equal rights amendment were those that were wealthier, innovative, urban states with more competitive party systems. Those that did not support the equal rights amendment were those with conservative beliefs. Those who argue that an equal rights amendment is not necessary cite several reasons. One such reason is that the US Courts have already made decisions that have largely fulfilled the amendment’s chief objectives (Baldez, et al., 2006, p.245). Consequently, the objectives that have not been filled are irrelevant based on the latitude courts are given when interpreting legal standards. Based on the fact that many states have adopted language that mirrors the equal rights amendment and the fact that many cases were decided by the US Supreme Court favoring women’s rights, what really would the equal rights amendment do for women’s rights at this point in time? This writer believes that the equal rights amendment would not have any effect on women’s rights today. Women have become just as powerful as men in most cases. For example, we have a female running for President of the United States. What more could one ask for regarding the rights of women when one is allowed to run for the most powerful position in the World? It can be argued that the rights of women are
Women have every right to do what their male counterparts do regardless of sex and the changes that we have seen today reflect the willingness of the American people to accept that women are capable of performing the same functions in society as men. Contributing to establishing equal rights for women according to D’Arelli (2014) is the gradual blurring of traditional gender roles and improved attitudes of women’s success in the workplace. Again, there are many areas where gender discrimination still occurs and sexual harassment of women in the workplace is one of those areas. There are safeguards in place prohibiting sexual harassment or other forms of harassment in the workplace that protect women. These safeguards have cost companies millions of dollars in law suits and cost many men their careers. These protections show women that they are equal to men and that such actions will not be tolerated at any level. Even if the equal rights amendment would have passed, harassment and discrimination in the workplace would not have been eliminated. People have beliefs which laws cannot change. What we can do as a society is enforce policies and procedures and provide training to employees regarding the importance of equal rights for men and women. It will be the

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