I’ve been watching the FX show Mrs. America on Hulu. It is a Docudrama about the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). In January, I marched in the Women’s March here in Salt Lake City (much less participation than in my former home of Seattle), and many, myself included were wearing ERA buttons.

Maybe you don’t know this history – if not, lots of websites and books out there to familiarize yourself, or you could watch this docudrama. My abbreviated history. The ERA is a constitutional amendment. Do you know constitutional law? How about how many amendments have been made to the constitution? Ok, go read about that too.

Anyway, the ERA was introduced in 1923. That’s not a typo. Almost 100 years ago, women were fighting for equality. Wait, I thought women got the right to vote in 1928, you say? Then you really DO need to go read about the ERA. It is about equality! Not just women’s equality, but HUMAN equality.

The ERA passed the House and Senate in 1972, and then needed to be ratified by 38 states. That goal was also achieved just 48 years later in 2020 when Virginia became the 38th state to ratify. However the deadline for ratification had lapsed. The House then approved a resolution to remove the deadline, and it is waiting for Senate agreement.

I recall watching West Wing years ago, and hearing Republican Ainsley Hayes rail against the ERA. Her key point being she IS equal. I agree with this key premise. Where the argument falls apart is in understanding that is NOT what the ERA is about. It is to defend that equality in practice. To enforce for those that might not agree to at least act as if.

So many women fought for and spent their lives pursuing this equality. So many years passed. Mrs. America taught me more about why we still do not have an equal right under the law.

Was it old white men getting in the way? Kind of. But the truly insidious were the WOMEN who fought AGAINST their own equality. Why? No, seriously, why?