Equal Rights Amendment Is Back

The Equal Rights Amendment is making a comeback, with Democrats reintroducing it in both houses of Congress yesterday, and five state legislatures putting it on the docket since January. The measure banning sex discrimination passed the House and Senate in 1972, but it went down to defeat when only 35 states ratified it—just two short of the requirement.

The revival of the ERA—now called the Women's Equality Amendment—reflects renewed confidence of liberal since November's midterm elections.  But the opposition, including anti-feminist icon Phyllis Schlafly, is still on the case: "It's very retro," she said yesterday. "It had 10 years of debate,  and it was defeated. Anytime you get a fair forum where both sides are heard, we win." (More Congress stories.)