Changes

The purpose and effect of the Amendment would be to prohibit many legal distinctions between men and women, and boys and girls.  An all-male draft or male-only combat regimens would presumably become illegal.  But equal representation of boys and girls on sports teams, and the termination of all-boys or all-girls sports teams, would probably not be required, since the courts usually treat some gender distinctions as a ''bona fida operating qualification'' for which discrimination is allowed.

The purpose and effect of the Amendment would be to prohibit many legal distinctions between men and women, and boys and girls.  An all-male draft or male-only combat regimens would presumably become illegal.  But equal representation of boys and girls on sports teams, and the termination of all-boys or all-girls sports teams, would probably not be required, since the courts usually treat some gender distinctions as a ''bona fida operating qualification'' for which discrimination is allowed.

35 out of 38 states passed this amendment, but opposition led by [[Phyllis Schlafly]] then defeated it.<ref>Testimony in 2007 by Phyllis Schlafly against the Equal Rights Amendment is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7iEL54jY9Q here].</ref>  Congress then extended the deadline to 1982 in legislation that a court later invalidated, but no more states passed the amendment in the additional three years anyway.  Several states rescinded their prior passage of the amendment, which some hold to be invalid.

35 out of 38 states passed this amendment, but opposition led by [[Phyllis Schlafly]] then defeated it.<ref>Testimony in 2007 by Phyllis Schlafly against the Equal Rights Amendment is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7iEL54jY9Q here].</ref>  Congress then extended the deadline to 1982 in legislation that a court later invalidated, but no more states passed the amendment in the additional three years anyway.  Several states rescinded their prior passage of the amendment.

==History==

==History==

==Advocacy==

==Advocacy==

Much of the advocacy for the Equal Rights Amendment is based on the fact that women and men are still inherently unequal in society.  For example, a pro-ERA site states that "[t]he new Constitution's promised rights were fully enjoyed only by certain white males. Women were treated according to social tradition and English common law and were denied most legal rights. In general they could not vote, own property, keep their own wages, or even have custody of their children."<ref>http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/era.htm</ref>

Much of the advocacy for the Equal Rights Amendment is baseless.  For example, a pro-ERA site claims that "[t]he new Constitution's promised rights were fully enjoyed only by certain white males. Women were treated according to social tradition and English common law and were denied most legal rights. In general they could not vote, own property, keep their own wages, or even have custody of their children."<ref>http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/era.htm</ref>

Much of the opposition to the amendment consists of the baseless idea that the federal government will gain extra powers through the passage of this document. Another point of contention is that the Victorian moral standards that cover women, such as not allowing women to be soldiers, would be eliminated.  

In fact, the [[U.S. Constitution]] has never discriminated against women.  It has always been gender-neutral.

==Canadian Equivalent==

==Canadian Equivalent==