In the United States, women's rights have been a major issue for more than 30 years. Would you be surprised to learn that, as of right now, 2022, the equal rights amendment is still not considered fully part of the U.S. Constitution??

Since the early 80's when the equal rights amendment (ERA) was first introduced, the ERA has been introduced into every Congress since 1982. The traditional process outlined in Article V of the Constitution, requiring passage by a two-thirds majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives, followed by ratification by legislatures in three-quarters (38) of the 50 states. On January 15, 2020 the 38-state threshold for ratification of the ERA was reached (Nevada in 2017, Illinois in 2018, & finally Virginia in 2020). However, there are still many hurdles - the ratification deadlines set by Congress after it approved the amendment lapsed. In 2021, Congress began working to remove the time limits originally added to the preamble of the ERA to ensure that it is considered "ratified" and fully part of the Constitution. Yet since little action has happened on that front, attorney generals in several states are stepping up efforts. In Illinois, Nevada, and Virginia, the AGs filed an appeal to a 2020 lawsuit to formally recognize the ERA. The 2020 suit was dismissed by a district judge last year who said that while the AGs motives were laudable, they did not have legal grounds to sue because the 7-year deadline set decades ago by Congress for ratification had passed before the necessary ratification votes were secured. The AGs feel it is imperative to actually have this amendment officially part of the Constitution to address any legal loopholes around discrimination at work and in domestic/sexual violence cases.

To begin our module on Organizational Leadership with the discussion on women & leadership, address these questions:

(1) Considering Sheryl Sandberg's points, how does this align with the articles you read? Do the articles support her claims? Is this important? What would be two "barriers" that any work place should eliminate and how?

(2) Based on the results of your Implicit Association Test (IAT), what have you discovered that should inform your personal outlook on this topic? What EQ 2.0 skills might help?

(3) For men in the group, what do you think are the best tactics you can use to help women ascend to leadership positions and help them thrive in those roles? For women, what help would be the most valuable?