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The mysterious fate of the Equal Rights Amendment: Why did it fail to become law when 38 states supported it?
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is an important milestone in women's rights in the United States. It aims to eliminate gender discrimination and ensure equal status of men and women under the law. Since its proposal in 1972, the ERA has received support from 38 states, meaning it theoretically has reached the two-thirds majority needed to take effect. However, despite this, it has still not become law, a phenomenon that has attracted attention and discussion from all walks of life.
Background of the Equal Rights Amendment
In 1972, with the development of the women's liberation movement, the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the U.S. Congress. It is said that the original intention of the amendment was to provide equal protection to all American citizens, regardless of gender. However, over time, the amendment faced opposition from different perspectives, which prevented it from successfully completing the entire approval process.
To this day, the fate of the Equal Rights Amendment remains shrouded in mystery, and it's worthwhile for everyone to think about the root causes of these objections.
Reasons for opposition
Opponents of the Equal Rights Amendment make several main arguments. They argue that such an amendment could undermine the traditional family structure and lead to the removal of special protections for women under the law. In addition, some opponents worry that the implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment may lead to women facing unequal challenges in military service, competitive sports, and other occasions.
Different attitudes in different states
Although 38 states have supported the amendment, many states have chosen to remain silent or even oppose it. Some of these states had expressed support early on but later withdrew their approval. This situation is relatively rare at the legal level, but it plays an important role in the history of the Equal Rights Amendment.
"The process of ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment went beyond the letter of the law and turned into an American culture war."
Complexity of legal proceedings
According to the U.S. Constitution, an amendment can only become formal law if it is supported by two-thirds of the states. Although 38 states expressed support, some questioned whether those early withdrawn states had the authority to do so, making the legal status of the amendment unclear.
Public Attention and the Future
Driven by all sectors of society, more and more women and men feel that the Equal Rights Amendment is the key to achieving gender equality. As a result, many social movements and organizations began to launch public campaigns, calling on Congress and state legislatures to reconsider the issue. However, from the legal level to the cultural level, there is still a long way to go to truly achieve gender equality amendments.
ConclusionThe fate of the Equal Rights Amendment reveals the diversity and contradictions in society's understanding of gender equality, and also shows the unexpected twists and turns that may occur in the legal process. While support from 38 states shows signs of progress, the legalization process has failed to go as planned. What factors hindered the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which makes us have to think about this question?
