When the ERA was written, women’s status in American society was often considered secondary to men’s. Now, as women and people across the gender spectrum increasingly face mounting attacks on their rights and autonomy, the current push for the ERA is a continued reminder that empty rhetoric and half-measures claiming to support and empower them are entirely inadequate. Constitution could not be fully realized without an explicit, meaningful commitment to equality regardless of sex. 3 Authored by legendary activists Alice Paul, Crystal Eastman, and others in 1923 and later revised, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) mandates that: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” 4 Nascent efforts to pass the ERA grew out of a recognition that the commitment to equality rooted in the U.S. One hundred years after women gained suffrage 2-and with a growing number of women in the workforce, holding elected office, and running for president-the time for a constitutional amendment explicitly guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex is long overdue. The ERA would protect individuals against discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, the same way that federal statutes such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 do. This term is intended to be synonymous with other terms, such as “sex-based discrimination,” “gender discrimination,” or “gender-based discrimination,” all of which are intended herein to be comprehensive and inclusive beyond discrimination based solely upon sex assigned at birth to include discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression, and/or sexual orientation. Hope that tomorrow will be better and brighter than today.Author’s note: The author uses the term “sex discrimination” throughout this issue brief to match the language in the ERA’s text. The side that is the opposite of what we truly want in our lives. However, in other cases, everyone must choose a side because “if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” By being neutral, you have chosen the side that breeds hate, fear, and insecurity.
Yes, it is perfectly fine to be neutral in certain situations. But this was 1994, we had telephones! The outside world knew what was happening but they did nothing, they let it continue. It might have been more understandable if this was the 1600s and communication was only through slow moving letters. The people that were neutral were the people outside Rwanda’s border. Works of violence and (quite literally) a bloodbath. And those thoughts and words eventually turned into works. It was a war, neighbor against neighbor, that started with racist thoughts and words. The time that I am referencing is Rwanda’s genocide in 1994. By being neutral, the nazis had the upper hand until they were defeated by people who were not neutral and could see through their lies and hate.Īnother example is a darker time in history because most people have not heard of it. By being neutral, many suffered and died for what they believed. But, with that easier life, there were consequences and punishments for those who were of minority and were not good enough according to the Nazis. Most of the people were neutral and just went along for an “easier life”. Many people in Germany just went along with what the Nazis were saying because everyone else agreed with them or they were threatened by the government or even next door neighbors.
One example of this that comes to mind is a dark time in history, Nazi Germany. However, there are many situations where you should pick a side because “if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” And if injustice is present, chaos and even anarchy could ensue quite rapidly.
One example would be whether you like chocolate or vanilla. You can be on either side or you could be on neither side and it would not induce chaos on the world. It is completely normal to not be totally on one side or the other.
Sometimes, it is okay to be neutral, to be indifferent.
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