An Opinion

Historically, and depending on the region’s social structure, women have always been treated as second-rate humans. The progress for the advancement of women’s rights and liberties has moved like molasses. And, when it comes to American Women’s rights, the story is no different.

By Nisie

Less than 100 years after the Declaration of Independence, American Women decided it was time to finally gain independence of their own. In Seneca Falls, New York, Elizabeth Caddy Stanton spearheaded the Women’s Rights movement. Along with other notable women activists of the time, they hosted a convention to outline the direction of the women’s movement, and over 300 women and men attended. Elizbeth’s call to action and “Declaration of Sentiment” were simple. In fact, she stayed true to the Declaration of Independence, but with one fundamental change, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and WOMEN are created equal.” She would further outline the basic rights women should have regarding marriage, property, and education. Caddy also cited social and cultural norms as another point of contention because they prevented women from living their life without restraint by men. It was another 70 years before the 19th Amendment was finally ratified and women gained the right to vote. And the American government has been hanging its hat on that ever since.

Despite women gaining the right to vote, there was still no equal rights amendment. So, in 1923, Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman of the women’s suffrage movement drafted the first Equal Rights Amendment. But the Amendment did not gain enough support, and it wasn’t until 1972 that a slightly altered version was approved by congress. Yeah, it took another 50 years, and I am pretty sure Alice and Crystal are long dead by then.

Unlike the 1920s, in 1972, there were more women lawmakers, so the Amendment had a real chance. (Spoiler Alert: Its never ratified) Only 30 out of the 38 states that needed to confirm the Amendment voted yes, and despite an extension, only 5 more states joined. By 1982, most activists and lawmakers turned away from the radical idea of women having the same rights as men.

Even though Women did not have equal rights, in 1973, the Supreme court voted 7-3 on Roe V Wade. That ruling states that it is a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. Not surprisingly, Roe V Wade was a case that began when a Texas woman who was pregnant with her third child wanted to have an abortion. But because Texas law only allowed women to have an abortion if their life was in danger because of the pregnancy, she could not do so. Attorneys Sarah Waddington and Linda Coffee filed a lawsuit on her behalf in U.S. federal court against her local district attorney, Henry Wade. The tenacious duo alleged that Texas’s abortion laws were unconstitutional, and by winning their case, they became the first women to advance women’s rights since 1920.

But as of May 2022, the Roe V Wade ruling was turned on its head when news broke of a leaked Supreme Court opinion. After many wondered if the document was authentic, the Supreme Court confirmed its authenticity, possibly dooming women’s health rights. Lawmakers and women’s rights activists have been demonstrating outside of the Supreme Court building, and President Joe Biden stated earlier in the week, “This is about a lot more than abortion.” “What are the next things that will be attacked?” he told reporters at the White House. “Because this MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization in American history, in recent American history.” The outrage may not be enough to stop the Supreme Court from officially voting to overturn Roe V Wade, and it can be another two months before we know the final decision.

I have labeled this article as an opinion piece because, as a woman, I am pro-choice and an advocate for equal rights for every human. But, the fact remains that without an Equal rights amendment to protect American women, we do not have the same quality of life as our male counterparts. It is not out of the realm of possibilities either because other modern countries like Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden offer equal protections for women.

Now the bottom line is this. VOTE! Vote for your own interests as a woman and your family. Vote to protect your country from those who want to exploit it until nothing is left. Tell your family to vote and your friends. Our time is now.

Sources:

History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian, Women in Congress, 1917–2006. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2007. “The Nineteenth Amendment, 1919–1920,” https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Nineteenth-Amendment/ (May 05, 2022)

 

History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian, Women in Congress, 1917–2006. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2007. “The Women’s Rights Movement, 1848–1917,” https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Continued-Challenges/ (May 05, 2022)

 

The Equal Rights Amendment Explained, By Alex Cohen and Wilfred U. Codrington 

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/equal-rights-amendment-explained” (January 23, 2020) 

 

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).