Equal means equal why the time for an equal rights amendment is now when the equal rights amendment was first passed by congress in 1972 richard nixon was president and all in the familys archie bunker was telling his feisty wife edith to stifle it. Equal means equal why the time for an equal rights amendment is now jessica neuwirth gloria steinem when the equal rights amendment was first passed by congress in 1972 richard nixon was president and all in the familys archie bunker was telling his feisty wife edith to stifle it over the . Equal means equal why the time for an equal rights amendment is now by jessica neuwirth examines the history of the equal rights amendment why its necessary and several common myths regarding the u s constitution and the equal rights amendment including the arguments made for and against and the struggle for ratification neuwirth offers examples of the cases that have been brought before the cours and have been decided that highlight repeatedly that the u s constitution does not . When the equal rights amendment was first passed by congress in 1972 richard nixon was president and all in the familys archie bunker was telling his feisty wife edith to stifle it over the course of the next ten years an initial wave of enthusiasm led to ratification of the era by thirty five states just three short of the thirty eight states needed by the 1982 deadline. Jessica neuwirth president of the new era coalition and author of the book equal means equal why the time for an equal rights amendment is now thinks it should be easier to pass now because many of the arguments that were used against the era in the past are gone such as the idea that a womans place is in the home traditional gender constructs have changed more men are behind it