Sandy Oestreich
St Petersburg, FL
Do you think the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is part of the U.S. Constitution? Nope, after 50 years of debate, U.S. Congress decided that as American citizens, females could be included in the nation’s contract with its people. then sent ERA out to the state legislatures for 3 more to vote YES. Still hasn’t happened. So here at 2PassERA.org, we forge on, nonstop.
At 81 years old now, I have worked all day, every day for 15 nonstop years to get 3 more state legislatures to vote to ratify so ERA passes into U.S. Constitution, to make sex discrimination a violation of that Law of the Land.
As a little girl I was annoyed that the boys got more attention in class though girls did better. I had a father I loved, but my mom seemed to be there as his servant. I was awed by Amelia Earhart, actress and figure skater Sonja Henie, Girl Scout leaders, wondering why they were not accorded the applause they deserved, as men were. I devoured Super Woman comics and Brenda Starr.
As I grew up, I railed inwardly at injustices and inequalities heaped upon women for seemingly no good reason. I marched in the first ERA protests around the nation. Later, I started my own nonprofit corporation to get it passed. That was years ago, and am still at it, writing articles, lobbying state legislatures and U.S. Congress.
ERA is not a political issue, it is an issue of democratic justice to fulfill the promise of equality for all. I find it shameful we are forced to change the Constitution for this civil and human right all deserve. (Click here where we have a list of what we females are denied until ERA is passed. It will shock you.)
Many of my 300,000 are veterans of “the first ERA movement”, 1923 to 1982. They are spirited, committed workers who write, speak to legislators and before groups and media constantly. They are invigorated that they are making “herstory” and moved when they learn that working women today are paid an average of 77% of a man’s wage for same job, same hours, same credentials! Younger women ask “Where do I sign?” when I tell them the only guaranteed right they have in Constitution is the right to vote.