Why is the Equal Rights Amendment still not ratified?

# Stuff You Should Know Episode Summary

This episode traces the surprisingly long and contentious history of the Equal Rights Amendment, from its origins in the 1920s with suffragist Alice Paul through its dramatic near-ratification in the 1970s and its current uncertain status. Josh and Chuck explore how the ERA went from failing for decades to passing Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support in 1972, only to be derailed by conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly's surprisingly effective "Stop ERA" campaign that linked the amendment to abortion rights and gay marriage to mobilize opposition. The conversation covers why women currently aren't explicitly protected from sex discrimination in the Constitution despite most Americans believing they already are, what legal protections do exist thanks to figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and whether the ERA is still necessary now that 38 states have technically ratified it—or whether it should be restarted from scratch for modern times.