AmericanRhetoric.

com
ShirleyChisholm
FortheEqualRightsAmendment

Delivered10Aug1970,Washington,DC.

Mr.Speaker,HouseJointResolution264,beforeustoday,whichprovidesforequalityunder
thelawforbothmenandwomen,representsoneofthemostclearcutopportunitiesweare
likelytohavetodeclareourfaithintheprinciplesthatshapedourConstitution.Itprovidesa
legalbasisforattackonthemostsubtle,mostpervasive,andmostinstitutionalizedformof
prejudicethatexists.Discriminationagainstwomen,solelyonthebasisoftheirsex,isso
widespreadthatisseemstomanypersonsnormal,naturalandright.
Legalexpressionofprejudiceonthegroundsofreligiousorpoliticalbeliefhasbecomeaminor
probleminoursociety.Prejudiceonthebasisofraceis,atleast,undersystematicattack.
Theirisreasonforoptimismthatitwillstarttodiewiththepresent,oldergeneration.Itis
timeweacttoassurefullequalityofopportunitytothosecitizenswho,althoughinamajority,
suffertherestrictionsthatarecommonlyimposedonminorities,towomen.
Theargumentthatthisamendmentwillnotsolvetheproblemofsexdiscriminationisnot
relevant.Iftheargumentwereusedagainstacivilrightsbill,asithasbeenusedinthepast,
theprejudicethatliesbehinditwouldbeembarrassing.Ofcourselawswillnoteliminate
prejudicefromtheheartsofhumanbeings.Butthatisnoreasontoallowprejudiceto
continuetobeenshrinedinourlawstoperpetuateinjusticethroughinaction.
Theamendmentisnecessarytoclarifycountlessambiguitiesandinconsistenciesinourlegal
system.Forinstance,theConstitutionguaranteesdueprocessoflaw,inthe5thand14th
amendments.Buttheapplicabilityofdueprocessofsexdistinctionsisnotclear.Womenare
excludedfromsomeStatecollegesanduniversities.

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InsomeStates,restrictionsareplacedonamarriedwomanwhoengagesinanindependent
business.Womenmaynotbechosenforsomejuries.Womenevenreceiveheaviercriminal
penaltiesthanmenwhocommitthesamecrime.Whatwouldthelegaleffectsoftheequal
rightsamendmentreallybe?Theequalrightsamendmentwouldgovernonlytherelationship
betweentheStateanditscitizensnotrelationshipsbetweenprivatecitizens.The
amendmentwouldbelargelyselfexecuting,thatis,andFederalorStatelawsinconflict
wouldbeineffectiveoneyearafterdateofratificationwithoutfurtheractionbytheCongress
orStatelegislatures.
Opponentsoftheamendmentclaimitsratificationwouldthrowthelawintoastateof
confusionandwouldresultinmuchlitigationtoestablishitsmeaning.Thisobjectionoverlooks
theinfluenceoflegislativehistoryindeterminingintentandtherecentactivitiesofmany
groupspreparingforlegislativechangesinthisdirection.
Statelaborlawsapplyingonlytowomen,suchasthoselimitinghoursofworkandweightsto
beliftedwouldbecomeinoperativeunlessthelegislatureamendedthemtoapplytomen.As
ofearly1970mostStateswouldhavesomelawsthatwouldbeaffected.However,changes
arebeingmadesorapidlyasaresultoftitleVIIoftheCivilRightsActof1964,itislikelythat
bythetimetheequalrightsamendmentwouldbecomeeffectivenoconflictionStatelaws
wouldremain.
Inanyevent,therehasforyearsbeengreatcontroversyastotheusefulnesstowomenof
theseStatelaborlaws.Therehasneverbeenanydoubtthattheyworkedahardshipon
womenwhoneedorwanttoworkovertimeandonwomenwhoneedorwantbetterpaying
jobs,andtherehasbeennopersuasiveevidenceastohowmanywomenbenefitfromthe
archaicpolicyofthelaws.AftertheDelawarehourslawwasrepealedin1966,therewereno
complaintsfromwomentoanyoftheStateagenciesthatmighthavebeenapproached.
Juryservicelawsnotmakingwomenequallyliableforjuryservicewouldhavebeenrevised.
Theselectiveservicelawwouldhavetoincludewomen,butwomenwouldnotberequiredto
serveintheArmedForceswheretheyarenotfittedanymorethanmenarerequiredtoserve.
Militaryservice,whileagreatresponsibility,isnotwithoutbenefits,particularlyforyoungmen
withlimitededucationortraining.
SinceOctober1966,246,000youngmenwhodidnotmeetthenormalmentalorphysical
requirementshavebeengivenopportunitiesfortrainingandcorrectingphysicalproblems.
Thisopportunityisnotopentotheirsisters.Onlygirlswhohavecompletedhighschooland
meethighstandardsontheeducationaltestcanvolunteer.Ratificationoftheamendment
wouldnotpermitapplicationofhigherstandardstowomen.
Survivorshipbenefitswouldbeavailabletohusbandsoffemaleworkersonthesamebasisas
towivesofmaleworkers.TheSocialSecurityActandthecivilserviceandmilitaryservice
retirementactsareinconflict.Publicschoolsanduniversitiescouldnotbelimitedtoonesex
andcouldnotapplydifferentadmissionstandardstomenandwomen.

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Lawsrequiringlongerprisonsentencesforwomenthanmenwouldbeinvalid,andequal
opportunitiesforrehabilitationandvocationaltrainingwouldhavetobeprovidedinpublic
correctionalinstitutions.Differentagesofmajoritybasedonsexwouldhavetobe
harmonized.Federal,State,andothergovernmentalbodieswouldbeobligatedtofollow
nondiscriminatorypracticesinallaspectsofemployment,includingpublicschoolteachersand
Stateuniversityandcollegefaculties.
Whatwouldbetheeconomiceffectsoftheequalrightsamendment?Directeconomiceffects
wouldbeminor.Ifanylaborlawsapplyingonlytowomenstillremained,theiramendmentor
repealwouldprovideopportunityforwomeninbetterpayingjobsinmanufacturing.More
opportunitiesinpublicvocationalandgraduateschoolsforwomenwouldalsotendtoopenup
opportunitiesinbetterjobsforwomen.
Indirecteffectscouldbemuchgreater.Thefocusingofpublicattentiononthegrosslegal,
economic,andsocialdiscriminationagainstwomenbyhearingsanddebatesintheFederal
andStatelegislatureswouldresultinchangesinattitudeofparents,educators,and
employersthatwouldbringaboutsubstantialeconomicchangesinthelongrun.
Sexprejudicecutsbothways.MenareoppressedbytherequirementsoftheSelectiveService
Act,byenforcedlegalguardianshipofminors,andbyalimonylaws.Eachsex,Ibelieve,
shouldbeliablewhennecessarytoserveanddefendthiscountry.Eachhasaresponsibilityfor
thesupportofchildren.
Thereareobjectionsraisedtowipingoutlawsprotectingwomenworkers.Noonewould
condoneexploitation.Butwhatdoessexhavetodowithit.Workingconditionsandhoursthat
areharmfultowomenareharmfultomenwagesthatareunfairforwomenareunfairfor
men.Lawssettingemploymentlimitationsonthebasisofsexareirrational,andtheproofof
thisistheirinconsistencyfromStatetoState.Thephysicalcharacteristicsofmenandwomen
arenotfixed,butcovertwowidespansthathaveagreatdealofoverlap.Itisobvious,I
think,thatarobustwomancouldbemorefitforphysicallaborthanaweakman.Thechoice
ofoccupationwouldbedeterminedbyindividualcapabilities,andtherewardsforequalworks
shouldbeequal.
Thisiswhatitcomesdownto:artificialdistinctionsbetweenpersonsmustbewipedoutofthe
law.Legaldiscriminationbetweenthesexesis,inalmosteveryinstance,foundedon
outmodedviewsofsocietyandtheprescientificbeliefsaboutpsychologyandphysiology.Itis
timetosweepawaytheserelicsofthepastandsetfurthergenerationsfreeofthem.
Federalagenciesandinstitutionsresponsiblefortheenforcementofequalopportunitylaws
needtheauthorityofaConstitutionalamendment.The1964CivilRightsActandthe1963
EqualPayActarenotenoughtheyarelimitedintheircoverageforinstance,oneexcludes
teachers,andtheotherleavesoutadministrativeandprofessionalwomen.TheEqual
EmploymentOpportunityCommissionhasnotproventobeanadequatedevice,withitspower
limitedtoinvestigation,conciliation,andrecommendationtotheJusticeDepartment.

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Initscasesinvolvingsexualdiscrimination,ithasfailedinmorethanonehalf.TheJustice
Departmenthasbeenevenlesseffective.Ithasintervenedinonlyonecaseinvolving
discriminationonthebasisofsex,andthiswasonaproceduralpoint.Inasecondcase,in
whichbothsexualandracialdiscriminationwerealleged,theracialbiaschargewasgivenfar
greaterweight.
Evidenceofdiscriminationonthebasisofsexshouldhardlyhavetobecitedhere.Itisinthe
LaborDepartmentsemploymentandsalaryfiguresforanyonewhoisstillindoubt.Its
eliminationwillinvolvesomanychangesinourStateandFederallawsthat,withoutthe
authorityandimpetusofthisproposedamendment,itwillperhapstakeanother194years.
Wecannotbepartiestocontinuingadelay.ThetimeisclearlynowtoputthisHouseon
recordforthefullestexpressionofthatequalityofopportunitywhichourfoundingfathers
professed.Theyprofessedit,buttheydidnotassureittotheirdaughters,astheytriedtodo
fortheirsons.
TheConstitutiontheywrotewasdesignedtoprotecttherightsofwhite,malecitizens.As
therewerenoblackFoundingFathers,therewerenofoundingmothersagreatpity,on
bothcounts.Itisnottoolatetocompletetheworktheyleftundone.Today,here,weshould
starttodoso.
Inclosing,Iwouldliketomakeonepoint.Socialandpsychologicaleffectswillbeinitially
moreimportantthanlegaloreconomicresults.AsLeoKanowitzhaspointedout:
Rulesoflawthattreatofthesexesperseeinevitablyproducefarreachingeffects
uponsocial,psychologicalandeconomicaspectsofmalefemalerelationsbeyondthe
limitedconfinesoflegislativechambersandcourtrooms.Aslongasorganizedlegal
systems,atoncethemostrespectedandmostfearedofsocialinstitutions,continueto
differentiatesharply,intreatmentorinwords,betweenmenandwomenonthebasis
ofirrelevantandartificiallycreateddistinctions,thelikelihoodofmenandwomen
comingtoregardoneanotherprimarilyasfellowhumanbeingsandonlysecondarilyas
representativesofanothersexwillcontinuetoberemote.Whenmenandwomenare
preventedfromrecognizingoneanothersessentialhumanitybysexualprejudices,
nourishedbylegalaswellassocialinstitutions,societyasawholeremainslessthanit
couldotherwisebecome.

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