Welcome to SheKos! SheKos is a diary series where both female and male Kossacks raise topics related to feminism, women's issues and causes related to improving women's lives. The Democratic Party has made some hefty promises to women, and we're here to help remind them of that.
Over the past few weeks, there have been some most EXCELLENT Diaries on women's rights( or lack there of). Kossack's Slinkerwink,angry mouse and LaFeminista( among others ) have written some great Diaries that deserve more than a cursory read. Yet,I kept having the same thought Over and Over.
If the ERA had ratified wouldnt this debate look totaly different ? I mean...We would have a CONSTITUTION to stand on!
This led me to start a little research and realized everything I thought I knew about the ERA( Equal Rights Amendment) was DEAD WRONG!
I grew up in the '70's. I'd like to go back to whatever wave that was and see what Ive missed.
Lets start with the final word on everything cool: School House Rock !!!!!
Wow! JUST WOW! Now this is what I remember! Coooool. Gutsy. Smart. Self assured women taking it to the streets!
Apparently while I was chasing boys and booze for the next few years ALOT happened with the ERA.Not just the ERA but this much talked about Hyde guy went mucking stuff up as well.
Id like to educate myself and if you'ld like. I'll share what I find along the way.
For starters,back in the day ,I have some vague memory of the Passing of the ERA. What I did'nt realize till a few years ago is it NEVER became LAW! What?! How could this happen?! That means acording to the constitution WE ARE Not Equal Citizens.
The ERA states:
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.
Very Simple and straight forward. However, some see this amendment as a threat. What surprises me the most is the level of opposition to this simple statement.
According to the ERA website( which is where i started ) It says
The Equal Rights Amendment, first proposed in 1923, is still not part of the U.S. Constitution.
The ERA left Congress in 1972 .It was then sent to the States for ratification. The 7 year term limit for ratification was extended to June 30,1982,but at the deadline it still had not ratified.
The ERA has been ratified by 35 of the necessary 38 states. When three more states vote yes, the ERA might become the 28th Amendment.
The most telling word in the previous sentence ,to me, is Might. Its not a done deal. We need to redouble the fight.Moreover, we have lost ground since 1982!
The last state to ratify the ERA was Indiana in 1977. Thats right 1977! Thirty two years!
Since 1977 Illinois and other states either changed their voting laws or passed recission bills in order to 'un-ratify' the ERA .
With this series I intend to find out just How and Why there has been such opposition and hopefully, together we can finaly get the Constitutional Equality We Deserve.
The ERA in Congress
The Equal Rights Amendment was reintroduced in the House of Representatives on July 21, 2009, as H.J.Res. 61. Lead sponsors are Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL). The Senate companion bill will be reintroduced shortly.
The ERA website urges us to contact its task force with National Council of Women's Organizations and to advocate for more co- sponsors.
As I stated in my intro,what led me here was a nagging feeling that present legislation (as well as past and future) could only diminish our rights because we have no Constitutional Rights to give oppressors pause.
For oppress us they will and have.Times have changed since the '70's. We have made some great accomplishments in the area of equality and we've had some colosal set backs. Its my opinion, that should we all focus our energies toward establishing the ERA as Law we will have a solid foundation with which to continue the fight for true justice.
I am not a Lawyer ,yet the recent Stupid-Stupak-Pitts (SSP) amendment seems to me ,only possible because of our lack of Constitutional Protection.
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.
The word here ,I believe, that applies is abridged.Webster defines it thusly:
1 a archaic : deprive b : to reduce in scope : diminish <attempts to abridge the right of free speech>
2 : to shorten in duration or extent <modern transportation that abridges distance>
I think its fair to say Stupid-Stupak-Pitts (SSP) Deprives some Women of their rights while absolutely diminishing or shortening the extent with which they have access to healthcare.
In my next Installment I intend to get into the nuts and bolts of strategy and talking points.
First however, I feel that we as women( and Men as supporters of Women's Rights) must look to ourselves and find ways to pull together and support each other.
Liberal Granny wrote an excellent Diary discussing her experiences in the Second Wave. It behooves us all to listen to our elders in this fight and take heart that, tho the struggle is still with us,so too are those that struggled before us. Whatever our differences, we all strive for true equality.
Please leave your thoughts in the comments.I'll cull all the great Ideas I'm sure you have and include them in the next installment.
Thanx for reading ,
Let's go get 'em!
SheKos is open to your submissions. If you have an idea, please run it by Angry Mouse, our fearless leader. Mail her at angrymouse.grrr@gmail.com
Update: I mean it ya'll leave any Ideas or questions and i'll do some research and include in Episode 2.
Must go for now,Rec it up and I'll see you next week,Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel !