The National Women's Party and the Start of the Equal Rights Movement
The National Women's Party started the Equal Rights Movement in 1923 with the intention to amend the United States Constitution (Soule and Susan 477). Senator Anthony and Curtis took it to Congress but it was authored by Alice Paul.
Alice Paul's Leadership and the Fight for Equality
The suffrage that women underwent contributed to the formation of the Equal Rights Movement. Between 1923 and 1970, Alice Paul headed the efforts of the Equal Rights Movement which sought to address the equality in the genders when it came to protection aspects.
The National Organization for Women's Role
In 1967, the National Organization for Women took charge in pushing for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). In 1972, the Senate ratified the Equal Rights Amendment limitations on changes made on the Act (Soule and Susan 481).
The Opposition and Challenges Faced by the Equal Rights Movement
While the Equal Rights Movement was gaining support, the anti-ERA campaign was underway headed by individuals who glorified the traditional responsibilities bestowed upon women. The Equal Rights Movement had the mandate to bring changes that would protect American women from undesirable acts such as alimony and sexual assault. Moreover, the Equal Rights Movement was fighting for the elimination of the mandatory clause that required the woman to receive custody of the child in the event of divorce.
Continued Efforts and Achievements of the Equal Rights Movement
After 1973, the opposition the Equal Rights Movement received decreased. However, the members of the society had to take part in civil disobedience and hunger strikes to hasten the amendment as a consequence. The Congress had set 1982 as the expiration period for the Equal Rights Amendment (Soule and Susan 484). After the lapse of the period, 35 states had ratified the ERA and only three states were remaining. The states later ratified the ERA fulfilling the objectives of the Equal Rights Movement.
Work Cited
Soule, Sarah A., and Susan Olzak. "When do movements matter? The politics of contingency and the equal rights amendment." American Sociological Review 69.4 (2004): 473-497.
