Changes

SEC. 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

SEC. 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

The purpose and effect of the Amendment would be to prohibit any legal distinctions between men and women, and boys and girls.  An all-male draft or male-only combat regimens would presumably become illegal.  Same-sex marriage would presumably become legal. Equal representation of boys and girls on sports teams, and perhaps even the termination of all-boys or all-girls sports teams or publicly funded schools, could be required.  Any legal distinction you can imagine between males and females would be banned.

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, neither equal representation of boys and girls on sports teams, nor the termination of all-boys or all-girls sports teams, would be required, since the law treats 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.  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  Several states rescinded their prior passage of the amendment.

35 out of 38 states passed this amendment, but opposition led by Phyllis Schlafly then defeated it.  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  Several states rescinded their prior passage of the amendment.