Changes

The purpose of the ERA was to prohibit many legal distinctions between men and women, and boys and girls.  An all-male draft or male-only combat regiments would presumably have become illegal.<ref>Anti-ERA Phyllis Schlafly quote</ref>  But equal representation of boys and girls on sports teams, and the termination of all-boys or all-girls sports teams, could have been required by [[judicial supremacy]].

The purpose of the ERA was to prohibit many legal distinctions between men and women, and boys and girls.  An all-male draft or male-only combat regiments would presumably have become illegal.<ref>Anti-ERA Phyllis Schlafly quote</ref>  But equal representation of boys and girls on sports teams, and the termination of all-boys or all-girls sports teams, could have been required by [[judicial supremacy]].

Thirty-five out of the required 38 states ratified the amendment, but opposition led by [[Phyllis Schlafly]] ultimately defeated it.<ref>Testimony in 2007 by Phyllis Schlafly against the Equal Rights Amendment is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7iEL54jY9Q here].</ref>  The Democrat-majority Congress then extended the deadline to 1982 in legislation that was later invalidated, though no other states ratified the amendment in the additional three years.  The states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota rescinded their prior ratification of the amendment (though it remains an open question on whether a state, once passing an amendment, can later rescind its decision).

Thirty-five out of the required 38 states ratified the amendment, but opposition led by [[Phyllis Schlafly]] ultimately defeated it.<ref>Testimony in 2007 by Phyllis Schlafly against the Equal Rights Amendment is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7iEL54jY9Q here].</ref>  The Democrat-majority Congress then extended the deadline to 1982 in legislation that was later invalidated, though no other states ratified the amendment in the additional three years.  The states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota each rescinded its prior ratification of the amendment (though it remains an open question on whether a state, once passing an amendment, can later rescind its decision).

Since the expiration of the (extended) ratification deadline in 1982, two states have symbolically passed it:  Nevada and Illinois.  Another state, North Dakota, came within a few votes of symbolically rescinding its prior ratification.

Since the expiration of the (extended) ratification deadline in 1982, two states have symbolically passed it:  Nevada and Illinois.  Another state, North Dakota, came within a few votes of symbolically rescinding its prior ratification.