Wednesday Wisdom Independence Day Edition: True Freedom for Women

On July 4, 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton‘s staff released their draft of the Democratic National Convention platform which included passing the Equal Rights Amendment including Equal Pay, Paid Leave and Caregiving (according to an article on the National Women’s Political Caucus website). The NWPC’s stance, similar to Clinton’s, was about the “plight of women and focusing solutions to make the United States of America better and equal for women.”

I think it is important this year to share some herstory behind the ERA as we celebrate our country’s 243 years of independence tomorrow because we need to continue to push for and support efforts to pass it. If you don’t know much about the ERA’s history, be inspired today:

Growing more frustrated with the Legislature’s failure to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment, in July, 1971 Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm, Betty Friedan and others, organized a conference in Washington, DC. Over 320 women attended from twenty-six states and the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), a national, bipartisan, grassroots membership organization was born. In 1971, women represented just 1 percent of elected officials nationwide. The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress on March 22, 1972 and sent to the states for ratification. In order to be added to the Constitution, it needed approval by legislatures in three-fourths (38) of the 50 states. It never passed. We are one state short of its passage.”

The current call of action is “Just One More State” which is needed to finally pass the ERA. Activists are trying to conclude the campaign that began more than 86 years ago, when the first proposed ERA was introduced in Congress. The Virginia Slims’ motto, “We’ve come a long way baby” isn’t true as we celebrate another Fourth of July without equal rights for women.

Lisa Liddle March 26, 2017, at Rinconada Park in Palo Alto.