Equal Rights Amendment

American  

noun

1. ERA.

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Equal Rights Amendment Cultural  

1. A twice-proposed but never ratified amendment to the Constitution that would prohibit denial or abridgement of rights on the basis of sex. First proposed in 1923, the amendment was passed by Congress in 1972 but failed ratification by the requisite number of states. It was a major rallying point of the women's movement.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Equal Rights Amendment

I would enshrine gender equality in the Constitution, explicitly clarifying that the Equal Rights Amendment is part of our founding document.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

After Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment, the constitutional amendment that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, a countermovement pushed states not to ratify the measure.

From Slate ● May 13, 2025

President Joe Biden stated Friday that he believes the Equal Rights Amendment, which guarantees equal rights for women, to be "the law of the land."

From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2025

Wade was overturned, Nevada voters passed a sweeping version of the Equal Rights Amendment, adding protections to the state’s constitution against discrimination based on sex.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 19, 2024

She supported the Equal Rights Amendment, proposed in 1923; Congress passed the bill in 1912, but it was never ratified by three-fourths of the states.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling