The Equal Rights Amendment
The ERA’s first section states “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” It was intended to place into law the equality of men and women. It was sent to the states in March, 1972. The original seven year deadline was extended to ten years. It expired unratified in 1982.
Updated August 2025: Three additional states—Nevada (2017), Illinois (2018), and Virginia (2020)—ratified the ERA, meeting the 38-state threshold, and in the 118th Congress (2023–2024), Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced a resolution affirming the ERA as the 28th Amendment.
The text:
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
I was amazed to learn recently that the ERA never became law. Though I was just a boy when the amendment was introduced, I do remember the marches and the debate. Does it make sense to bring equal rights for women back into the national debate, when we have the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to occupy our attention? If you think of it as a matter of respect for all people, then, yes, I would say that now is a very good time.
Dear Jonathan,
Thank you for sharing your reflections on the Equal Rights Amendment. As we celebrate Katrina’s Dream’s 20th year, your insight about respect for all people resonates deeply with our mission to champion equality and justice, making now a critical time to push for the ERA’s recognition as the 28th Amendment.
Love and Light in Christ,
Helene de Boissiere-Swanson