The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. Despite being passed by Congress in 1972, the ERA was not ratified by the required 38 states before the original 1982 deadline. There have been ongoing efforts to revive the ratification process, with some states recently voting to ratify the amendment after the initial deadline passed. However, the viability and potential impacts of ratifying the ERA at this stage remain legally uncertain and controversial. Constitutional amendments require an exacting process with strict deadlines. While the amendment aims to enshrine important protections against sex discrimination, questions persist around procedural validity given the expired deadline as well as potential unintended consequences that would need careful examination. What is clear is that the ongoing lack of an explicit constitutional protection against sex discrimination represents an unfortunate gap in legal rights. Regardless of the ERA's fate, proactive steps must be taken at all levels of government to uphold gender equality and prevent discriminatory policies and practices. Comprehensive legislation, robust enforcement mechanisms, and a continued societal commitment to equal rights and opportunities must remain priorities. The principles behind the ERA demand steadfast pursuit through all available legal and sociopolitical avenues.
