“Stop ERA”

Schlafly became the most visible and effective opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment during the 1970s as the organizer of the “Stop the ERA” movement, widely credited with stopping it from achieving ratification by its legislative deadline. “STOP” is also a recursive acronym for “Stop Taking our Privileges”, because Schlafly argues the amendment, if passed and ratified, would take away privileges enjoyed by American women, including “dependent wife” benefits under Social Security and exemption from Selective Service registration.

By the time Schlafly began campaigning in 1972, the amendment had already been ratified by 30 of the necessary 38 states. However, Schlafly was successful in organizing a grassroots campaign to oppose further states’ ratifications. Five more states ratified ERA after Schlafly launched her opposition campaign, though an additional five state legislatures voted to rescind their ratifications. The last state to ratify was Indiana, where then State Senator Wayne Townsend, a Democrat, cast the tie-breaking vote for ratification in January 1977. In opposing ERA, Schlafly argued that “the ERA would lead to women being drafted by the military and to public unisex bathrooms.” Her views were opposed by Pro-ERA groups, led by the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the ERAmerica coalition. The amendment was narrowly defeated, despite having achieved ratification in 35 states.