Document 11: ERA Iowa 1992,
"Equal Rights Amendment," 1992. Box 1, ERA Iowa 1992 Collection,
Iowa Women's Archives, University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City, Iowa.
This
document is a brochure produced and distributed by ERA Iowa 1992. It was
patterned after a pamphlet advocating woman’s suffrage used by the National
American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Similar to materials used during
the 1980 campaign, the brochure addresses the concerns of Iowa citizens while
attacking claims made by ERA opponents. Again, the needs of housewives, mothers,
spouses and working women are addressed in the the text. The amendment also
addresses the inadequacy of the 14th and 15th amendment of the United States
Constitution to help eliminate legalized sex discrimination. Some new issues
addressed include social security benefits for women and single mothers as
head of household and sole breadwinners.
Equal
Rights Amendment
Some
People Say:
|
The
Facts Are:
|
The ERA will
destroy the FAMILY. |
The ERA affects
only Governmental Action--such as equal pay and legal rights--NOT Private
Relationships. The Career HOMEMAKER's Valuable contribution to marriage
and the rearing of Children may continue as her CHOICE under ERA.
|
Men
will no longer have to Support their wives and CHILDREN. |
Even now, according to the
Courts, a married woman living with her Husband receives only WHAT HE
CHOOSES to give her. Support will still depend on LOVE, not Law.
|
Woman's PLACE is in the
Home. |
Over 70% of the women who
work do so because of ECONOMIC NECESSITY. The ERA will reinforce
the right to Equal Pay for the Millions of women who are HEADS of Families.
|
Divorced women will no longer
be given Support or Custody of their CHILDREN. |
Divorced women who need
SUPPORT will continue to be awarded it. The GOOD OF THE CHILD will
be the Primary Criterion in awarding custody.
|
The ERA will take away labor
laws Protecting women. |
The ERA will UNMASK "protective"
laws which are Thin Disguises for excluding women from highter paying
jobs and opportunities for Advancement. Under the ERA, Truly BENEFICIAL
protective labor laws will be EXTENDED to men
|
Women will be subject to
the DRAFT, and Mothers will be TORN from their children to be sent into
Combat. |
The ERA means Women will
be subject to a draft, but if we ever have one again, Congress could
exempt either Parent or both, as they did FATHERS in the most recent
drafts. Equal Rights do mean EQUAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
|
Women will lose their present
Social Security Benefits based on their HUSBANDS' Earnings. |
Women will NOT lose any
Present Benefits. Women's and men's benefits will be EQUALIZED, so
that present Injustices, primarily affecting MEN, will be Eliminated.
|
Men and women will have
to share the same public Bathrooms. |
The Constitutional right
to Privacy will still justify separate restrooms, dormitories, and barracks.
Equality and Modesty can co-exist.
|
The ERA will Legalize homosexual
marriages. |
Same-sex marriages can be
permitted or forbidden regardless of the ERA. It will only mean that
if Men can't marry men, Women can't marry women.
|
The ERA will mean WHOLESALE
abortions. |
The Supreme Court decision
on abortion WILL NOT be affected by the ERA. It was based on the
Right to Privacy.
|
The 14th Amendment makes
the ERA Unnecessary. |
The 14th and 5th Amendments
have NOT been interpreted by the Courts to mean sex discrimination is
Unconstitutional. It is Time, after 200 YEARS, that the constitution
recognize women as FIRST CLASS Citizens.
|
This leaflet is patterned
after one distributed more than 50 years ago by
NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION
The ERA was first introduced in Congress in 1923!