Biography

Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights Amendment was formed in 1972 as a grassroots organization opposed to Iowa's ratification of the proposed equal rights amendment (E.R.A.) to the United States Constitution. The group distributed literature, mounted letter-writing campaigns, and otherwise advocated rescission by Iowa of its ratification of the amendment. In 1975 a resolution to rescind was filed by State Senator Eugene Hill. The Iowa Senate defeated Senator Hill's resolution by a simple majority.

Iowa Women Against the ERA also worked to defeat passage of a state ERA. In 1978 and 1979, the Iowa State Legislature passed a state equal rights amendment. This fulfilled the requirement of Iowa state law that a constitutional amendment must first be passed by two consecutive legislative sessions, after which it may be submitted for popular vote. Iowa Women Against the Equal Rights Amendment successfully mobilized opposition to the state amendment, which only received approximately 44 percent of the popular vote.

Found in 1 Collection or Record: