Equal Rights Amendment Politics

The Equal Rights Amendment. The Article I Wish I’d Read Much Earlier. Spoiler: This is Gonna Hurt.

Tuesday's election is huge! Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment SEEMS possible. Read why that matters to you.

Real quick history lesson on the Equal Rights Amendment and The Constitution. I feel this is needed because only 6% of the population understands the precarious ledge women’s rights are on.

I myself did not adequately understand it until 2017. This is the article I wish I could have read to understand our predicament in these modern times. 

At the time the constitution was written, women were considered basic property. Married off by fathers, and handed off to husbands. The original founding fathers did not consider women equal, and they did not write our founding documents to reflect the notion that we were equal. We were left out on purpose. Originalists are clear on this. 

In 1787 women were kind of like cattle you could pro-create with and also made you dinner. 

Then….time goes by…blah blah blah…..not going to get into the suffrage movement too deeply here. My goal is to interest you, not tell you everything under the sun and watch your eyes glaze over. I highly suggest watching Iron Jawed Angels, the Hillary Swank movie from 2004 to better understand the suffrage movement in the United States. I watched it free on You Tube. 

So, in 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, which gave (white) women the right to vote. Black women were still toyed with on a state by state basis restricting their votes until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

So, some women achieved the right to vote, BUT NOT equality in 1920. 

Some people say we achieved equality with the 14th amendment, but if we did we wouldn’t have ever needed the 19th amendment would we?


In 1923, after winning the right to vote, a total badass suffragette named Alice Paul wrote the following words, and began to fight for full constitutional equality for women. 

It’s called the Equal Rights Amendment, and it’s only 24 words. 

Here they are: 


That was almost 100 years ago. We still haven’t managed to amend the constitution to reflect them. The politicians we elect won’t codify basic equality in our cornerstone document. 

In order to add an amendment to the constitution, the house, senate, and president must all sign off on it. (Done back in XXXX) Then 38 state legislatures have to also approve it. Right now, to this date, in 100 years, only 37 states have so far. There is great excitement that with the November 5 election that Virginia is finally blue and will become the 38th state to ratify. 

Full disclaimer: When the 38th state finally does ratify the equal rights amendment,there is some question about a deadline congress placed on the process. The arbitrary deadline could be waived by the federal government, and there is precedent to do so. To believe that our current Trump=led administration would do so is complete folly, so we have to win all 3 branches of government in November of 2020 to complete the process. BUT THEN……we’d finally be constitutionally equal. WTF took everyone so long? 

I have to believe Alice Paul would be sorely disappointed with how we have been choosing at the ballot box. (especially since we are 51% of the population!) 

Honestly this shouldn’t be so hard.

Research shows, people just don’t know. If you’ve gotten this far in this post, now you do. Please learn, share and elect candidates who support the Equal Rights Amendment. We’ve looked away for too long. 

Just so you know, the following states have NOT ratified the amendment. Remember to vote blue to make it happen in your state. 

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri,North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.

Read more about the Equal Rights Amendment here

Connect with those fighting for equality in Virginia here


As you talk to people about this topic, you’ll find they probably don’t believe you or act like they know it, but they really don’t.  It’s totally unbelievable how many citizens do not realize this. Google it. Check it out. It’s true!

UPDATE: The statewide election on November 5th in Virginia turned both houses blue. It seems the path is now paved for Virginia to become the 38th and final state necessary to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Watch this space for more news on the topic! 

intelligent commentary welcome. assholes ridiculed or ignored
