Richmond, Va. • Supporters of the Equal Rights Amendment are so confident Virginia is on the verge of becoming the critical 38th state to ratify the gender equality measure, they are already making plans for how they will celebrate.
But that jubilation could be largely symbolic. Despite broad support for the amendment in the state, the ERA's prospects nationally are substantially more complicated.
The proposed 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution faces a host of likely legal challenges and vehement opposition from conservative activists who depict the ERA as a threat to their stances on abortion and transgender rights.