Could we please ratify the ERA? It is way overdue.

[Kath2]

From the NOW website:

NOW is a proud supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment and prioritizes Constitutional equality in our work. We are closer than ever to having the ERA enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, giving women explicit protections in our nation’s highest law. The progress we are making towards women’s equality can be lost at any time because those advances depend on legislation that can be (and has been) weakened or repealed by Congress.

************************************************************************************************************

ERA would also protect reproductive rights.

[MichMan]

1. Ratification needs to start over.

Seems like time to start the process up again.

[Deuxcents]

2. Among a whole lot of other issues..it's just not reproduction rights..,

This should have been settled so long ago so where is the call for this?

[former9thward]

3. The time limit ran out long ago.

A new Amendment would have to be passed by Congress and referred to the states for ratification. There doesn't seem to be the political willpower to do that.

[Deuxcents]

5. I get ya. I know..

[slightlv]

7. That's not even the problem...

*every* right that can be claimed by a woman, there's at least 33%-35% of the country against it. That's elite R's and Magas and Talibangelicals.

If we could have a National Referendum (like a National Vote) we MIGHT get it passed. But getting it passed one state at a time is never going to work. Too many Republican controlled backwater states. I know... Kansas did it once for Repro rights... For the ERA? Lightening rarely strikes twice.

[Deuxcents]

8. We were almost there..2 states to go..

Even tough we dont have Phylis Shapley today..we got GinninThomas n other opponents so.. I do believe the door is closed for now..could be open..maybe ..

[slightlv]

9. But it's been so long...

I've "heard" we have to start all over again, and that was what I was basing my comment on. Don't get me wrong... gods, it's been way too long for this to be done and ratified. I remember marching for this decades ago (at least it seems that way... memory, and all, ya know). It also seems like everything I protested against and protested for is coming back around again during this time frame when I'm least able to do anything about it.

I didn't mean to be one to rain on your parade, honestly. I WANT it ratified. It's benefits will mostly miss me now, but that's okay. I'd like my daughter, who's still in her 40's, to reap some benefits. And I have some students still in their 20's and 30's who would benefit like I would have back in my younger days. They're as important to me as if they were my own kids. Also, I'm getting damned tired of women being constantly put down and "put into place" and I've been there before, as many of us women on this board can attest to... before we could hold our own credit; before we could buy a house of our own; heck, before we could buy our own car! I do not want to see it go back that way for the kids of today. And I sure as hell don't want to see us lose the right to vote, which I daresay I feel is right around the corner after all we uppity women have registered in droves and exercised that right these past few months -- and plan to keep on doing! The white males, especially, are terrified of us... and ya know what? They *should* be!

[Hekate]

4. So much of its protections and obligations will depend on court interpretation...

Sadly, I no longer trust the courts. Here are some issues that always bothered me: the military draft, and judging what equality really means.

Skipping over the draft, we have already discovered that to some people, equality means “just the same,” and we palpably are not. Women have uteruses, women menstruate, women get pregnant and give birth and need time off afterward.

We have seen how this is handled in business — where it was discovered that if you “corrected” statistics for all of the above, that women’s career trajectories and salaries miraculously nearly equaled men’s. Meaning that if women who never ever got pregnant or raised children were the only ones included in the stats with men — well, you see.

We see how it gets handled in medical insurance and medical care. Women “consume” more medical care (on their own and on behalf of children), and traditionally are financially punished for it. As we can see from our current SCOTUS disaster, our reproductive rights are not protected at all. I don't see the ERA helping enough.

Kind of an aside: One of my favorite medical revelations was that medications were not tested on women because our hormones and metabolisms screwed up the results the male scientists were expecting. Also, while we were told my whole life that men had all the heart attacks, it turned out women did too. But women didn’t get the new whiz-bang heart surgeries because not only did we not get heart attacks but our chests were smaller: this from a profession that had already perfected heart surgery for “blue babies.” Some of this is old news, but my memory is long and my wrath abides.

My ultimate point is this: as long as the default citizen is male — worker, patient, human being — I don’t trust anything that can be interpreted as “exactly the same.”

Apologies for being a downer.

[Kath2]

6. No apologies needed!

Your thoughts and insight are appreciated and something I will ponder and reflect on tonight. Thank you.

[CloudWatcher]

10. Source link

For those that would like more info: https://now.org/issues/constitutional-equality/

[littlemissmartypants]

12. From the link...

Legislative action
With the opening of the 117th Congress on January 3, 2021, the opportunity to pass legislation that would remove the 1972 deadline (and its extension) appears to be within reach. The new administration to be headed by former U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden and former U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris – both supporters of the Equal Rights Amendment and control of the House of Representatives and Senate by Democratic leaders who champion the Equal Rights Amendment, our legislative objective is in sight.

During the previous Congress, the democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed on H.J.Res.79, removing the deadline, by a vote of 232-183, on February 13, 2020. While this action is not required for the ERA to be certified, activists promoted it as “backup” insurance against any future challenges. Constitutional experts have noted that Article V, the section pertaining to amending the Constitution, is silent on the matter of ratification deadlines as to whether they have any actual force, especially if not included in the specific amendment language. The ERA deadline appears in the preamble or proposing clause, not the actual language of the Amendment. Since the Constitution offers no guidance, the decision could be made by the courts.

Unfortunately, the Republican-led Senate took no action on the House bill or the companion measure, S.J. Res. 6: A joint resolution removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment, sponsored by Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin (D), with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and 32 bipartisan co-sponsors. Both measures will be re-introduced in the current Congress. It is important for all ERA supporters to let members of their Congressional delegation know that we would like them to pass such legislation.

What do we do next?
Ways to take action:

Call or write your Representative and both Senators to urge that they support removing the ERA deadline. Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) will be introduced soon. You can check at congress.gov

Speak out on social media in support of the ERA using this tool kit. (PDF Download)
https://now.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Updated-ERA-Social-Media-Toolkit-3-8.pdf
Get informed
The Intertwining History of NOW and the ERA
https://now.org/the-intertwining-history-of-now-and-the-era/
NOW’s History With the ERA: Press Statements, Action Alerts, and Blogs
https://now.org/nows-work-on-the-era/
The ERA Lives On! Three AG’s File Notice to Appeal District Court Ruling – May 4, 2021
https://now.org/the-era-lives-on-three-ags-file-notice-to-appeal-district-court-ruling/
Additional Resources from our partner organizations:
ERA Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/faq
ERA History
https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/the-equal-rights-amendment
ERA Coalition
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=11&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eracoalition.org%2F

Snip...

More at the link.

https://now.org/issues/constitutional-equality/

❤️ pants

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. It can be done if there is enough grass roots pressure.

Roe, Roe, Roe your vote
against theocracy!
Republicans revoke your rights
and kill democracy!

Donate to 38 House candidates: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217067267
Stick 'em up for a blue wave: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217078977

[Lithos]

11. The semantics is not correct

The existing ERA is past the expiration date.

This needs to be recast - especially with the language which updates it - absolutely Gender equality needs to be enshrined into the Constitution.

[littlemissmartypants]

13. Please see my post. Thank you ❤️