2008 Woodie Awards
New amendment to give women equal rights under the Constitution
by Kelly Durkin
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News
"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."
According to an Opinion Research Corporation study, seven out of 10 people believe the Constitution guarantees this right within its language.
The Equal Rights Amendment, long thought of as an issue of the 1960s, re-emerged in Congress in March with a new name - the Women's Equality Amendment - and Congressional leaders have vowed to pass the measure through both the House of Representatives and the Senate by the end of the legislative session in 2008.
Elisabeth Gehl, co-chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations' ERA Task Force, said the task force supports the bill and believes there should be a statement in the Constitution guaranteeing equal rights for women.
"I think it's definitely far-reaching and needed to affirm some bedrock principles," Gehl said. "We need it to prevent the rollback of women's rights. There are laws right now that aren't protected and can be rolled back unless we put something in the Constitution that has a bedrock quality."
Jessica Schiffman, assistant director of the women's studies department, said many of the aspects of the women's rights movement have been addressed, but a comprehensive statement by the government is needed.
"I think it's an important symbolic gesture," Schiffman said. "The implication of the bill is the basic essence of what it says - that discrimination should not happen, and if it does, it should be addressed."
The ERA was first introduced in Congress in 1923 and was passed in both the House of Representatives and Senate in 1972. Thirty-five states endorsed the bill, falling short of the 38 needed to enact the amendment within the seven-year period set by Congress.
Gehl said the amendment has been brought up in every Congress since it failed to be ratified. She said other countries with more controversial policies have equal rights for women in their constitutions.
According to an Opinion Research Corporation study, seven out of 10 people believe the Constitution guarantees this right within its language.
The Equal Rights Amendment, long thought of as an issue of the 1960s, re-emerged in Congress in March with a new name - the Women's Equality Amendment - and Congressional leaders have vowed to pass the measure through both the House of Representatives and the Senate by the end of the legislative session in 2008.
Elisabeth Gehl, co-chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations' ERA Task Force, said the task force supports the bill and believes there should be a statement in the Constitution guaranteeing equal rights for women.
"I think it's definitely far-reaching and needed to affirm some bedrock principles," Gehl said. "We need it to prevent the rollback of women's rights. There are laws right now that aren't protected and can be rolled back unless we put something in the Constitution that has a bedrock quality."
Jessica Schiffman, assistant director of the women's studies department, said many of the aspects of the women's rights movement have been addressed, but a comprehensive statement by the government is needed.
"I think it's an important symbolic gesture," Schiffman said. "The implication of the bill is the basic essence of what it says - that discrimination should not happen, and if it does, it should be addressed."
The ERA was first introduced in Congress in 1923 and was passed in both the House of Representatives and Senate in 1972. Thirty-five states endorsed the bill, falling short of the 38 needed to enact the amendment within the seven-year period set by Congress.
Gehl said the amendment has been brought up in every Congress since it failed to be ratified. She said other countries with more controversial policies have equal rights for women in their constitutions.
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