Equal Rights Amendment
Illinois is at the forefront of the work to make sure that the US Constitution provides equal protection under the law for all genders.
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first drafted in 1923 by suffragist Alice Paul, and was introduced in every session of Congress for the next 49 years. In 1972, it was approved by overwhelming majorities in both House and Senate, and sent to the states for ratification. The 38-state threshold needed to become part of the US Constitution proved elusive until in 2018, when Illinois became the 37th state to ratify, and Virginia became the 38th in 2020.
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has now met all ratification requirements and must be published as part of the US Constitution.
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