8/26/2009

Frieze Frame









Did you know?
Today is Women's Equality Day
Let's Not Forget

THE ERA
Comments by Jennifer McCleod, National Coordinator of the ERA Network.

AFTER ALMOST 90 YEARS OF FIGHTING FOR THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT, WOMEN ARE STILL NOT INCLUDED IN THE CONSTITUTION OFTHE UNITED STATES. Under our US Constitution, the women of America continue to be denied fully equal rights with male citizens, simply because the founding fathers elected to grant full citizens' rights only to men. It took many decades of struggle for women to win, in 1920, just one right -- the right to vote -- nothing more. Many forms of sex discrimination continued, and still continue. While laws outlawing some forms of sex discrimination have been passed since then, those laws can and often are ignored, weakened, or overturned, forcing women and their advocacy organizations to spend much of their time, energy and resources simply trying to maintain past gains. This injustice will continue until our Constitution is amended to state that citizens of both sexes are guaranteed equal rights under the law. The Equal Rights Amendment, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex," will accomplish that aim, and will remain a major goal of women's rights advocates until it is accomplished. Jennifer S. Macleod, Ph.D., ERA Campaign Network

Website http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681183086&s=844&e=001q9sJ4MS0faIbjgW4ulDWvUWHBLDzdADDCYm7IuRqvZBbniv6uaTUSNMZ5P7fKT45f7tFvYsuGSQc_r9seucRxSfyx80ceaGqmWHEa2goihlEtRj0nY8K8g==Contact: JSMacleod@aol.com OR mailto:ERACampaign@aol.com

1 comment:

Mary said...

Good reminder! My trick question for my high school juniors used to be (asked right after reading Abigail Adams' plea "don't forget the ladies") "So when did women get equal rights under the Constitution?" They would be so shocked to realize we were still waiting for that. Maybe our first woman president can see to it?