The failure of the supporters of the Equal Rights Amendment to understand the rhetoric and world view of its opponents resulted in the defeat of the amendment. The opponents of the ERA had six arguments: women are not discriminated against; women will be drafted; protective labor laws will be eliminated; the ERA will destroy tradition regarding…

Among the various attempts to identify the social roots of antifeminism, two theories in particular are prominent. The first argues that for both men and women, anti-abortion and anti-Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) sentiments have disproportionate appeal among lower socio-economic status, rural, and older constituencies. The second asserts that for…