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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  The states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota each rescinded its prior ratification of the amendment (though it remains an open question on whether a state, once passing an amendment, can later rescind its decision).

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  The states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota each rescinded its prior ratification of the amendment (though it remains an open question on whether a state, once passing an amendment, can later rescind its decision).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, three states have symbolically passed it:  Nevada, Illinois and Virginia.  Meanwhile another state, North Dakota, came within one vote in its senate (after its House passed this resolution by a vote of 67-21) of declaring its prior passage of ERA to have expired when its deadline expired roughly 40 years ago.<ref>https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/breakingnews/story/2019/apr/01/senate-kills-resolution-nullify-equal-rights-support/491762/</ref>

Since the expiration of the (extended) ratification deadline in 1982, three states have symbolically passed it:  Nevada, Illinois and Virginia.  Meanwhile, another state, North Dakota, came within one vote in its senate (after its House passed this resolution by a vote of 67–21) of declaring its prior passage of ERA to have expired when its deadline expired roughly 40 years ago.<ref>https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/breakingnews/story/2019/apr/01/senate-kills-resolution-nullify-equal-rights-support/491762/</ref>

==History==

==History==

The ERA was opposed by women who wanted special laws to protect women workers, including [[Eleanor Roosevelt]].  It was mostly supported by middle-class Republican women. After Congress adopted the ERA and sent it to the states, a leader in opposing ratification was [[Phyllis Schlafly]].

The ERA was opposed by women who wanted special laws to protect women workers, including [[Eleanor Roosevelt]].  It was mostly supported by middle-class Republican women. After Congress adopted the ERA and sent it to the states, a leader in opposing ratification was [[Phyllis Schlafly]].

The Congressional resolution that proposed the amendment set a ratification deadline of March 22, 1979. Through 1977, the amendment received 35 of the necessary 38 state ratifications. Five states later rescinded their ratifications before the 1979 deadline: Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota<ref>Technically, South Dakota's passing resolution included a rescission clause stating that if the amendment did not pass by the original deadline, its consent would be withdrawn.</ref>, and Tennessee.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/which-states-ratified-the-era-3528872</ref> In 1978, a joint resolution of Congress extended the ratification deadline to June 30, 1982, by simple majorities only (not by the 2/3 of each chamber required to pass amendments); however, no additional states ratified the amendment before the passing of the second deadline.

The Congressional resolution that proposed the amendment set a ratification deadline of March 22, 1979. Through 1977, the amendment received 35 of the necessary 38 state ratifications. Five states later rescinded their ratifications before the 1979 deadline: Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota,<ref>Technically, South Dakota's passing resolution included a rescission clause stating that if the amendment did not pass by the original deadline, its consent would be withdrawn.</ref> and Tennessee.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/which-states-ratified-the-era-3528872</ref> In 1978, a joint resolution of Congress extended the ratification deadline to June 30, 1982, by simple majorities only (not by the 2/3 of each chamber required to pass amendments); however, no additional states ratified the amendment before the passing of the second deadline.

Some ERA advocates have absurdly argued that the deadline is "non-binding" and have lobbied state legislatures to either ratify for the first time or reverse their rescissions decades after 1982.  Defying logic, "Nevada Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment ... 35 Years After The Deadline," as NPR described it.<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/21/520962541/nevada-on-cusp-of-ratifying-equal-rights-amendment-35-years-after-deadline</ref>  Then, nearly 36 years after the deadline expired, the [[Democrat]]-controlled legislature in Illinois passed ERA, and within 24 hours its primary sponsor Lou Lang resigned his leadership position amid scandalous accusations by a woman that he had committed "terrible acts against her."  The woman said of Rep. Lang, "I was harassed. I was intimidated. I was humiliated."<ref>https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/state-rep-lou-lang-accused-of-harassing-springfield-activist/</ref>  In January 2020 Virginia voted to pass the amendment, making it the 38th state to do so, which (had there been no timeline, and if later rescissions are ignored) would have made the Amendment effective.  No state that voted to rescind its original approval has chosen to undo its original rescission, and no other state has chosen to rescind its original approval.

Some ERA advocates have absurdly argued that the deadline is "non-binding" and have lobbied state legislatures to either ratify for the first time or reverse their rescissions decades after 1982.  Defying logic, "Nevada Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment ... 35 Years After The Deadline," as NPR described it.<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/21/520962541/nevada-on-cusp-of-ratifying-equal-rights-amendment-35-years-after-deadline</ref>  Then, nearly 36 years after the deadline expired, the [[Democrat]]-controlled legislature in Illinois passed ERA, and within 24 hours its primary sponsor Lou Lang resigned his leadership position amid scandalous accusations by a woman that he had committed "terrible acts against her."  The woman said of Rep. Lang, "I was harassed. I was intimidated. I was humiliated."<ref>https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/state-rep-lou-lang-accused-of-harassing-springfield-activist/</ref>  In January 2020 Virginia voted to pass the amendment, making it the 38th state to do so, which (had there been no timeline, and if later rescissions are ignored) would have made the Amendment effective.  No state that voted to rescind its original approval has chosen to undo its original rescission, and no other state has chosen to rescind its original approval.