History Of The STOP ERA

STOP ERA, also referred to as Stop ERA and Stop E.R.A., was a conservative political organization which worked in opposition to the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) from 1972 until 1982. This organization was established and run alongside the Eagle Forum by Phyllis Schlafly (1924-). It had as its symbol a red stop sign with the phrase STOP ERA on it, with 'stop ' being an acronym for 'Stop Taking Our Privileges. ' Schlafly 's organization is considered to have run the most effective campaign of the period in terms of transforming public opinion and shifting political decisions against passage of the ERA. STOP ERA was a significant movement, which halted passage of the Amendment in a number of states and resulted in five

Given the response to her article, Schlafly established STOP ERA, began publishing a regular monthly newsletter called the Phyllis Schlafly Report, and founded and worked in conjunction with the Eagle Forum (1975). This organization was a conservative group dedicated to campaigning against radical feminist perspectives, upholding traditional gender roles in American society, preserving the traditional structure of American families, and supporting the woman 's role as a homemaker. The STOP ERA campaign appealed to conservatives and religious groups, particularly in southern states, and was the primary organization dedicated to convincing the American public and politicians to halt passage of the ERA. In particular, STOP ERA utilized grass roots and community organizations at the local level to shift state public opinions rather than engaging in a direct national political dialogue to

Assessments of STOP ERA are mixed, with scholars acknowledging that the organization effectively utilized regional and state based sentiment to shift national public opinion against the once strongly supported Constitutional Amendment. To this end, there is broad agreement that without Schlafly and the STOP ERA campaign the Equal Rights Amendment would likely have been ratified in the 1970s. Schlafly 's campaign is also credited with shifting the Republican Party 's platform on the ERA and women in 1980, which led to a majority of that demographic supporting the Democratic Party by 1992. In addition, the STOP ERA campaign solidified Phyllis Schlafly 's position as an effective opponent of liberal policies, and one of the most significant women in modern American politics. However, despite the influence of STOP ERA and its goals, the feminist movement continued, women began serving in the military, became increasingly involved in business and politics, abortion remained legal, and homosexuality has become increasingly accepted in American culture. In addition, state laws, court decisions, and public sentiment have largely reflected and supported the central goals of the ERA as well as the shifting role of