The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) first passed in Congress in 1972. This proposed amendment aimed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex, ensuring that rights could not be denied or abridged based on gender. The ERA was introduced to Congress multiple times beginning in 1923 but gained significant momentum during the women’s rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Although it received widespread initial support and was ratified by several states, it ultimately fell short of the necessary three-fourths majority needed for constitutional amendment, sparking ongoing debates about gender equality.