University of Virginia Library

Round One

Commentary

It appears to be a foregone conclusion that ERA will be put
to death by Del. Thompson's Privileges & Elections
Committee. And in a year when members of the House are up
for re-election, such inaction is surely not unexpected. Indeed
the Amendment's sponsor in the House, Del. McDiarmid has
on several occasions voiced her doubts over the ERA's chance
of emerging from committee.

This, of course, is not the first time the General Assembly
has been guilty of dragging its feet on controversial legislation.
One will recall that it took several years for the body to give
final assent to liquor by the drink. So there is at least a
glimmer of hope that ratification may occur within the seven
year period.

At any rate, the amendment may be reintroduced for
consideration in future sessions; and at a time when the
nationwide campaign for ratification appears to be petering
out, Virginia could become one of the key states in the quest
for the magic "thirty-eight", the number needed to attach the
amendment to the Constitution.

If ERA is ultimately defeated, there will be many losers.
They will not be those who cry "chauvinist" ,nor will they be
the bra-less "persons" with "Ms." before their names. They
will instead be the millions of American women who are
locked out of jobs because of so-called "protective"
legislation; they will be the female bread-winners who because
of unequal wages are unable to provide adequate financial
support for their families; and they will be the young women
who suffer the frustration of being denied admission to certain
professions and trades because of regulations imposed by male
oligarchs.

But regardless of ERA's ultimate destiny, the women's
rights movement in America will remain alive, well, and
growing. Not even Mrs. Schlafly and her vive la difference
corps can deny this. Of course no court or legislature can
completely provide women with the kind of freedom they
desire. This can only come with time and a gradual shifting of
ideas toward the role of women in society.

ERA is certainly no panacea, but it may be a first step in a
long journey toward community acceptability of women as
equals.