AZ Legislature: Urge reps, please ratify the ERA

This looks like something for our legislative action committees? gerry

Dear Editor;

A bill to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Constitution has been entered in the Arizona Legislature. It is sponsored by Sen. Meg Burton Cahill and Rep. Ed Ableser. It will take only three more states to make ERA an amendment to the Constitution. Due to the precedent that the 27th Amendment was ratified 203 years after introduction, it was decided there could be no deadline. In 1982 there were 35 states that had ratified ERA before that deadline. Arizona is one of the 15 states that could put it over. It would certainly be national headlines if Arizona were one of the three needed to ratify. Maybe we could change the national perception that we are a backward redneck state, and it would increase conventions in Arizona.

I had no idea when I started working for the ERA in 1972 when Congress approved it that I might not live to see the results of our labor. It took 100 years to get the 19th Amendment, women’s right to vote. Many of the suffragists, of course, didn’t get to see the victory. Alice Paul, who wrote the ERA in 1923, died in 1977. At least she finally saw Congressional passage. We’re closing in on 100 years for this effort to get rights for women into the Constitution the second time. Why?

The ERA is the same simple one sentence: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex”. The word ‘sex’ means gender. ‘The law’ is the Constitution. The ERA simply says that the rights contained in the Constitution apply equally to men and women. There are situations where men are discriminated against also.

With wild extrapolations there were many myths created in the 70’s and I’ve heard them all today. There was the fear that unisex toilets would be required. I don’t recall seeing anything in the constitution about toilets. We have had them for some time on airplanes and other places. The ones in my home seem to work just fine. The right to privacy protects us on this issue. Some complained that women would be drafted, but Congress already has that power. The power in the Constitution to raise armies does not specify gender or age. Some even think that ERA would have something to do with abortion or homosexuality. These are not gender issues. In cases where people have tried to use equality for these issues, have been thrown out of court. The 14th Amendment has been cited as a reason ERA isn’t needed. It was passed to insure that former slaves were given equal protection under the law, but it didn’t even include black women, let alone all women. Then there are those who say ERA is not needed because there are laws that protect women. Laws can be overturned, eroded, misinterpreted, and amended – even by one vote. Equality of women and men is a fundamental human right and should be codified in our Constitution.

An independent national poll was taken by Opinion Research Corporation. To the question ‘should male and female citizens of the United States have equal rights?’ The total for ‘Yes’ of men and women was 96%. Another question, ’should the Constitution make it clear that male and female citizens are supposed to have equal rights?’ The total ‘Yes’ for men and women was 88%. 72% thought it already was in the Constitution. Why is there any controversy??

Is your legislator supporting the ERA? I have been helping get signatures for this bill at the Legislature. I have heard the myths. Rep. Russell Pearce said that it would create “preferential treatment” for women. DUH! What does the word ‘equality’ mean? I have been telling them that they are either for equality or for discrimination. There is no middle ground. Half of the voters who elected these people want their rights. Find out where your three legislators stand. Then vote accordingly next election.

Carolyn Maxon
Scottsdale
President, Phoenix Branch AAUW