Meryl Streep urges congress to back equal rights amendment

By Kate Hassett

Meryl Streep urges congress to back equal rights amendment
Our July cover star, Meryl Streep is taking a stand against inequality by addressing congress.

Frustrated with the lack of urgency surrounding equal rights issues in the US, Meryl Streep has appealed directly to congress in a bid to win backing for a proposed equal rights amendment.

In a hand written letter, Streep urged congress members to revive discussions on equal rights, that guarantees parity for women being written into the constitution.

“I am writing to ask you to stand up for equality – for your mother, your daughter, your sister, your wife or yourself – by actively supporting the equal rights amendment,” Streep writes.

The letter also included some light reading to help the congress members along with their decision. Each packet was accompanied by the Jessica Neuwirth book, Equal Means Equal, which campaigns to update the US constitution to include an amendment that prohibits sex-based discrimination under the law.

The equal rights amendment was written in 1920 just after women were given the ability to vote in America. The bill however had an unsuccessful path through congress as it was, time and again, short of the votes it needed to pass.

Once it did pass in 1972, the bill failed to receive ratification in order for it to be added to the constitution.

Since then, the bill has received a serious lack of traction in political circles, with every attempt to revive the amendment failing dismally, or never getting off the ground.

The call for action comes just a month after the American Civil Liberties Union issued a report stating that the US movie business was “so sexist it should be investigated for legal civil liberties violations.”

“A whole new generation of women and girls are talking about equality – equal pay, equal protection from sexual assault, equal rights,” said Streep.

Democrat Congresswoman, Jackie Speier, has thrown her support behind Streep stating that “the time is ripe to ratify the equal rights amendment. Seventy percent of people polled think that we already have an ERA in the constitution and they’re shocked to find we don’t have one.”

 

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Print Recipe

BECOME A MiNDFOOD SUBSCRIBER TODAY

Let us keep you up to date with our weekly MiNDFOOD e-newsletters which include the weekly menu plan, health and news updates or tempt your taste buds with the MiNDFOOD Daily Recipe. 

Member Login