Why are Republicans against the ERA?
Asked by: Nathaniel Huels | Last update: March 8, 2026Score: 5/5 (7 votes)
Republicans have opposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) primarily due to concerns from conservative and religious groups, led by figures like Phyllis Schlafly, that it threatens traditional gender roles, potentially leading to unisex bathrooms, women in combat, same-sex marriage, and government-funded abortion, while also undermining laws that protect women as dependents or caregivers, creating a conflict with traditional family structures and religious beliefs about gender.
Why do people not support the ERA?
Back in the 1970s, when state ratification debates were raging, conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly and others opposed to the ERA argued that it would require unisex bathrooms. Today, most people who oppose the ERA appear to be motivated chiefly by concerns that it would strengthen abortion rights.
What were conservative arguments against the ERA?
The ERA, Schlafly declared, would not only lead to more women in the workplace, but to same-sex marriage, women in combat, government-funded abortion, and even unisex toilets. The two images below illustrate the conservative backlash against the ERA and the women's liberation movement of the 1970s.
Who opposed the ERA Equal Rights Amendment?
Schlafly became an outspoken opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) during the 1970s as the organizer of the "STOP ERA" campaign. STOP was a backronym for "Stop Taking Our Privileges".
What groups opposed the ERA?
The ERA also faced opposition from religious groups, especially Mormons, fundamentalist Christians, and Catholics. The ERA, they claimed, conflicted with God-given differences between men and women and disregarded traditional family and gender roles embedded in their religious beliefs.
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What was the ERA fighting for?
Three years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was initially proposed in Congress in 1923 in an effort to secure full equality for women. It seeks to end the legal distinctions between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment, and other matters.
Which states have not ratified the ERA?
The 15 states that did not ratify the Equal Rights Amendment before the 1982 deadline were Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.
Did Republicans support the Equal Rights Amendment?
The Republican Party included support of the ERA in its platform beginning in 1940, renewing the plank every four years until 1980. The main support base for the ERA until the late 1960s was among middle class Republican women, while some Southern Democrats also supported it.
Who was the leader to stop the Equal Rights Amendment?
Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative activist, commentator, and author, led a successful campaign against the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s.
Who is the female right wing commentator?
Michelle Malkin. Michelle Malkin (/ˈmɔːlkɪn/; née Maglalang; born October 20, 1970) is an American conservative political commentator. She was a Fox News contributor and in May 2020 joined Newsmax TV.
What is the controversy with the Equal Rights Amendment?
Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman introduced it in Congress in 1923. Adherents said it would end legal distinctions between men and women in matters of divorce, property, employment, and other matters. Opponents worried it might be used to protect reproductive rights and more recently, to protect transgender rights.
Can we still ratify the ERA?
Even after the 38th state ratifies, the remaining states continue to have the opportunity to ratify the amendment. as valid.
What party opposed women's rights?
Perhaps the president's speech would win the support of senators known to oppose the measure, a coalition of southern Democrats and northeastern Republicans known as the “unholy alliance.” Collectively, they opposed women's suffrage for a variety of reasons.
What percentage of Americans support the ERA?
According to a recent poll, 85% of Americans across party lines support the Equal Rights Amendment. Enshrining gender equality in the U.S. Constitution should be an urgent priority for any public official who cares about the women and girls they represent, our LGTBQ+ siblings, and our society as a whole.
Why did the ERA ultimately fail?
Despite winning congressional approval, the proposed amendment was not ratified by the required two-thirds majority of the states, in part because critics feared that protecting against gender discrimination would confuse gender distinctions and, therefore, legitimize homosexuality.
Are people still fighting for ERA?
While the ERA is still introduced in Congress each session, and lawmakers have introduced legislation to extend the deadline and recognize the recent ratifications, today, positions on the ERA are divided largely on party lines (Democratic lawmakers tend to support it with Republicans opposing).
Who was a key opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment?
The primary figure for the ERA's opposition was Phyllis Schlafly and her STOP ERA organization. STOP ERA stood for Stop Taking Our Privileges Equal Rights Amendment. Schlafly held demonstrations before the legislature and rallied women to persuade legislators to oppose the amendment in strategic states.
Did Reagan support the Equal Rights Amendment?
As President, Reagan opposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) because he thought that women were already protected by the 14th Amendment, although he had supported the amendment and offered to help women's groups achieve its ratification while serving as Governor of California.
When did the Equal Rights Amendment fail?
At least 38 states needed to approve the amendment, but, by early 1977, confirmations stopped at 35—and five of those states quickly rescinded their approval. The March 1979 deadline passed without additional approvals, as did an extended deadline Congress tried to set.
What 5 states rescinded the Equal Rights Amendment?
By 1977, only 35 states had ratified the ERA. Though Congress voted to extend the ratification deadline by an additional three years, no new states signed on. Complicating matters further, lawmakers in five states — Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho, Kentucky, and South Dakota — voted to rescind their earlier support.
Which party opposed the Bill of Rights?
The Federalists were known for their opposition to the inclusion of the Bill of Rights, as they argued that the Constitution applied only to the government and not states or people.
Who opposed the Equal Rights Amendment?
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress Anti-feminist speaker and lobbyist Phyllis Schlafly led the opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment.
Why is the ERA controversial?
Much of the opposition cited several possible usages of the amendment which were extremely controversial: public entities could not provide sex-segregated accommodations (think prisons or military barracks), women would be subjected to the draft, it would codify abortion rights in the Constitution, mothers would no ...
Which two states originally rejected the Constitution?
Securing the ninth state was not going to be an easy task. In fact, North Carolina and Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until November 1789 and May 1790, respectively. They did so only after the First Congress sent 12 amendment proposals to the states for ratification.