Existing comment:
"It does not work to equality, but oppression."
From its introduction in 1923, the ERA set off a windstorm of opposition. In the 1920s and 1930s, several women's groups argued against the ERA, stating that it threatened protective labor legislation that had improved conditions for working women. The NWP countered that such legislation restricted women's wages and placed limits on women's employment and advancement opportunities. In 1972, when ratification seemed imminent, a highly successful grassroots campaign to mobilize public opinion against the ERA took shape. Led by Phyllis Schlafly's organization STOP ERA, opponents contended that women would lose important rights such as child support, alimony, and widow's benefits if the ERA passed. Women would be forced to serve in military combat; the broader social policy would be impacted, including legalizing abortion and same-sex marriages. Ultimately, they argued, the ERA would take away power from the states and redistribute too much authority to the federal government. |