Equal Rights Amendment

(From: Smathers, Bruce A., Papers, 1970-1974, (Collection M75-93)/ Governor's Commission on the Status of Women, Records, 1974-1985, Series S 79)

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Feminists have long supported an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would provide equality under the law to both men and women. Calls for such an amendment were first made by the National Women's Party in 1923, and became more insistent during the late 1960s from groups like the National Organization for Women.

An Equal Rights Amendment, stating that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex," passed the House of Representatives in 1971 and the Senate the following year by the required two-thirds majority.

Though thirty states quickly ratified the amendment, its momentum gradually slowed, as anti-feminists such as Phyllis Schafly mounted a grassroots movement to defeat the measure. Thirty-five states ultimately ratified the ERA, but despite a controversial extension of time granted by the congress for ratification, the measure fell three states short of the required three-fourth's majority. One of the ERA battleground states was Florida, which had not yet ratified the amendment. The amendment was introduced or voted on in every legislative session from 1972 until 1982. Though it passed the Florida House of Representatives on several occasions, it never passed the Senate.

The final vote in 1982, the last session before the time period for ratification expired, was 60-58 in favor of ratification in the House, and 22-16 against ratification in the Senate. Reproduced here are four examples of the thousands of letters received by Florida politicians either in support or opposition of the ERA. Three of these items were received by Florida Senator Bruce A. Smathers, and one by Florida Governor Reubin Askew.

A text version of this constituent letter in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment is included below the graphic image.

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