New Push for Women's Constitutional Equality

By Diana Price and Lisa Bennett, NOW Staff

June 12, 2007

Eleanor Smeal, President of Feminist Majority, speaks at the introduction of the Women's Equality Amendment as Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y., left) and NOW's Membership Vice President Latifa Lyles (right) look on.

Continuing a nearly century long movement to write women's equality into the U.S. Constitution, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) introduced the Women's Equality Amendment this spring. Leaders from NOW, Feminist Majority, the National Council of Women's Organizations and other feminist groups united with members of Congress to launch the joint resolutions.

Women were not included in the Constitution at the founding of our country. For the entire history of the United States, women have been purposely disadvantaged by the lack of a constitutional guarantee of equality. Known for decades as the ERA, the first equal rights amendment was authored by suffragist Alice Paul and introduced into Congress in 1923. The ERA passed the House in 1971 and the Senate in 1972. After a valiant and tireless effort by NOW and thousands of activists, the ERA was ratified by 35 states before being stopped three states short of ratification by a time deadline in June,1982.

"Properly interpreted, an equal rights amendment would be a permanent guarantee of basic human rights for women," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "With such an amendment to the Constitution, our fundamental rights and liberties would no longer be subject to the ever-changing political cycles."

The passage of such an amendment would be a crucial step toward eradicating pervasive gender discrimination in employment, insurance, health care, education, social security and other sectors, and the survival of existing protections, like Title VII (employment discrimination) and Title IX (equal educational opportunities), would not be at the whim of the Congress and the courts.

Rep. Maloney and Sen. Kennedy have been exemplary leaders on feminist issues and policy, advocating for key economic justice measures such as minimum wage and pay equity. NOW applauds their leadership on the issue of constitutional equality for women.

Other members of Congress taking the lead on the new Women's Equality Amendment include: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas), Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.).

"In an age when we have women running the House of Representatives, anchoring network newscasts, and making strong bids for the White House in 2008, some may ask 'why do we need the Equal Rights Amendment?' I would say to those asking that question -- we need it now more than ever," said Dingell. "While it is true that women have moved into positions of power and prominence, too many others do not achieve equal pay with male counterparts for doing the same job -- and it is not because of their ability. We must put an end to this inequity now."