Era Supporters Have New Hope
The Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially died in 1979, 56 years after it was introduced. It fell three states short of the three-fourths majority that the Constitution requires to bring a bill to law.
Thirty-five states had voted to add the following words to the Constitution: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”
There are, however, new efforts to revive the ERA by groups such as the ERA Summit and the ERA Task Force.
For the record, the following states did not ratify the ERA: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia.
For information about ERA efforts, contact the National Council of Women’s Organizations, P.O. Box 113, Chatham, NJ 07928, e-mail at era@equalrightsamendment.org, or visit the Web site www.equalrightsamandment.org. (From February/March Ms.)
* Make it quick: Motorists are actually meeting and picking up dates at stoplights, according to a Roper Starch survey for Mitsubishi Motors.
One person in 10 surveyed admitted dating someone he or she met while waiting for a traffic light to change. (From the Philadelphia Inquirer)
* Beyond Wonderbras: The latest technology in bras is already embroiled in a legal battle, and the new gel-filled push-up bras haven’t even hit the shores of the U.S. yet.
The Ultimo is the brainchild of 28-year-old Scottish model Michelle Mone. The bras earned Mone and company an estimated $15.9 million last year in Europe. Now Scottish bra designer Linda Taylor says Mone ripped off her idea for the gel-filled lingerie. And she’s saying so in court.
No word as to when the Ultimo will be available in U.S. stores. (From March 28 Salon)
* Help’s available: A majority of battered women who are killed by their abusers die trying to leave. Battered women wanting to leave need to plan ahead. Help is available from the National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE. (From March Marie Claire)
* What’s new? Life magazine will cease publication after the May issue and will be replaced with Real Simple. The new magazine, published by Time Inc., “provides today’s over-extended, over-committed, over-scheduled woman inspiration for eliminating clutter, managing her life, taking care of her body and nurturing her soul.”
Also new on the magazine racks is Offspring, whose motto is “The Magazine of Smart Parenting.”
Details, a monthly aimed at men, has ceased publication and will be relaunched in the fall as a consumer fashion magazine. (From the wire services)
* Quote of the week: “I’ve always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I’d kill myself if I was that fat.” — Elizabeth Hurley (from April Health)