So, I'm fascinated by the history of the Equal Rights Amendment in Utah. Utah is one of the states that did NOT ratify the ERA, which surprises me. The full text of the ERA is "Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification." (See http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/.) I can't understand how anyone could find that threatening. What that says is that the government and laws should act the same way toward all people, regardless of gender.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined Phyllis Schlafly in opposing the ERA, and as a member of the church, I wonder why. I don't understand what in the Equal Rights Amendment the church leadership found threatening. There is nothing that threatens women who choose to stay in the home (and who are financially able to), and there is nothing that promotes activities or movements the church finds reprehensible, such as homosexual behaviour, sexual promiscuity, and so forth. It would be a real stretch to claim that the ERA will make it impossible for the church to maintain its male-only priesthood, especially considering that women are a vital part of the ministry.
A friend has told me about Martha Sonntag Bradley's book "Pedestals and Podiums: Utah Women, Religious Authority, and Equal Rights." I plan to get a copy, but in the meantime, has anyone read it? What were your thoughts about the book or about the issue more broadly? If I wanted to research the topic further, whom would you suggest I talk to? After I've read it, I'll share my thoughts right here, so stay tuned... :-)
Any other books on this topic that I should add to my list?
This is certainly something that has puzzled me as well. I don't understand why the church was against it particularly when Utah women had franchise rights long before most women did across the country.
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ReplyDeleteA friend of mine sent me some thoughts about this post. She said:
ReplyDelete>>>I have read some things on the subject, and it seems that the church was very concerned that if women got equal pay, then they would choose to be out of the home and have careers. Subsequently, the idealized traditional family would fall apart, i.e., who would be at home to be with the children? (Of course, nowadays, many LDS women have to work to make ends meet or they are single mothers and have to work to support the family and they don't get the pay they deserve.)
>>>I have also read that the church organized bus loads of women to cross state lines to defeat it.
>>>Sonya Johnson was a member of the church and was excommunicated over ERA and her very vocal advocacy of and also heavenly mother.
>>>Although the LDS church has historically been pro-women's rights (early enfranchisement, promoting higher education, etc.), you can't mess with the family. That was the issue, I think.
My reply was this:
Yes, I think you're right. Strange, then, that the number of married women per capita that work outside the home is higher in Utah than the nationwide figure. I guess they have to support all of those kids... [DevilishGrin] Of course, the proportion of married women in the workplace who work part-time as opposed to full-time is also higher in Utah, so the total number of hours worked per married woman in the workplace may not be higher in Utah than in the nation as a whole.
Anyway, I'm very interested in this issue. I'm considering taking a degree in history over the next couple of semesters. If so, then this is my thesis topic, I think.
The Church does have quite an interesting history of supporting a number of issues that have been considered women's issues. As you mentioned, suffrage and education, as well as temperance, protective legislation (which is a mixed bag, but which most people considered a benefit to women at the time), and so on. It's also interesting that in the mid-nineteenth century, the Relief Society was established as a semi-autonomous organisation within the official framework of the church and with specific duties within the ministry. Other contemporary women's organizations were typically outside the official framework of church and ministry, although they certainly worked with the churches and with the support of the churches. Of course, the extent to which the RS has been autonomous has varied through the years.
The concern about equal pay doesn't really make sense. I think Frontiero v. Richardson (1975) more or less settled that issue (at least in theory). Women can already lodge grievances with the EEOC about discriminatory pay practises. Whether or not they'll get any satisfaction is another thing, but at least in theory, women are already entitled to equal pay. Ledbetter v. Goodyear (2007) seems to threaten women's (and others') ability to bring a salary discrimination suit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964... I suspect we may see more debate on this issue, as the ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear seems to set a precedent that would create impossible conditions for most people to meet if they alleged that discrimination was ongoing over a long period of time (the repetitive filing fees that would be necessary alone would be too much for some people).
Thanks for giving me things to think about and letting me blab a little.
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Make some more comments (if anyone is reading this)! I'm really interested to hear what ANYONE things about this issue, pro or con, pos or neg, etc.
Hey,
ReplyDeletewhen will you update your page scanlitnerd?
By the way, how are enjoy NYC?
I'm possitively jealous of your escape to culture. Bring the best home...
I'm well. I'll try to update in the next day or two... Sorry if my page is boring in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteVietnamese canh chua (sour soup) tonight with some friends and my father on 86th St between 23rd Ave. and 24th Ave. (in Brooklyn). Yum!
I also sneaked out for a piece of eggplant pizza at my favourite pizza place, Lenny's between 19th Ave. and 20th Ave. on 86th Street. I do wish I could find eggplant pizza at "home" in Utah! :-)
Hvarden har de deg, gammelman!!
ReplyDeleteWas this because of Relief Society & Adam's rib?
Very interesting topic,
elske
Coral Anna