Can We Pass the Equal Rights Amendment Already? – Desi Lydic Womansplains | The Daily Show
Articles Blog


November 18, 2019

– When it comes to gender equality, America’s ranked 49th in
the world, just below Peru, which means now all those
pictures I took stunting at Machu Picchu just make me sad. So I’m here to do my part
by educating Americans about vital gender topics. This is Desi Lydic Womansplains. The ERA stands for the
equal rights amendment not to be confused with
the ERA in baseball, which I’ve also womansplained. God dammit! So, the equal rights amendment. It was first proposed in the 1920s by the National Woman’s Party. They’re my she-ros. Any time there’s a 1920s themed wedding, I show up dressed as a suffragette. Elizabeth said I pulled
focus but it was worth it. The main goal of the ERA is
to prohibit discrimination and guarantee legal equality of the sexes in the constitution. Because, remember, nothing
in our founding documents specifically protects the rights of women. The founding fathers said
they were gonna add it but then they went out for
cigarettes and never came back. Even the Declaration of Independence says we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, so technically we’re less
than self evident which sucks. They totally left us out. It’s like leaving all the women out of the Hunger Games posters. Now they just look like a JV luge team. And the worst part is, American
never fixed that oversight. So, that’s where the ERA comes in. It would add the language
equality of rights under the law shall not
be denied or abridged by the United States or any
state on account of sex. Which shouldn’t be controversial. It’s like a free duckboat
tour at Disney Land, led by Tom Hanks, everyone
should be on board yet the ERA sat in limbo for 50 years until 1972 when it was finally passed by both houses of congress. We did it! (cheering) Except we didn’t because
amendments need to be ratified by at least 38 states and the
ERA fell three states short after anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly led a conservative backlash against it. She even handed out fresh baked bread and apple pie to get people
to vote against the ERA which is not fair, okay? Because people love equality
but they love carbs more. So in 2019, women are still
not guaranteed equal rights under the constitution. Let me borrow your bat.
Sure. (intense electronic music) But there’s still hope. In 2017, Nevada ratified the ERA, then in 2018 so did Illinois, so now it just needs one more state. Ding. (duck quacks) Dammit, I was hoping that would work. So now there are 13 possible states and two very realistic possibilities include Arizona and Georgia. If you live in one of
those 13 remaining states, call your senators and ask
them to support ratification. Maybe we can even get this ERA passed by its 100th birthday. Then we can throw it a surprise party. We can make it 20s themed. I’ve already got my look picked out. If you also think it’s ridiculous we haven’t fixed this, go
to to find out how you can
be part of the solution and for more on the ERA
and gender equality, be sure to watch Desi Lydic Abroad, Monday May 13th on comedy Central. (upbeat hip hop music)

Only registered users can comment.

  1. So I'm genuinely curious, isn't this already essentially covered by the fourteenth amendment? What's the practical difference between "equal rights" and "equal protections under the law"? By all means, I support the amendment, but I don't understand the difference

  2. Funny how those pretty white ladies only speak about gender equality yet don't care about the racial version. So all of us who don't have white vaginas are just left to fend for ourselves?! Race and Gender suffer many of the same stigmas. Is there not strength in numbers?! Shouldn't the "default" group be pushing equality in general and not just for themselves? smdh…fu€%ers.

  3. Desi Lydic makes my heart beat faster…
    Google…Your heart beats quickly because seeing your crush triggers an adrenaline rush. It also may trigger other chemical reactions, resulting in feelings of euphoria, or extreme happiness, and obsession.

  4. Trevor Noah is breaking and has broken American law by meddling in our elections. He must be banned immediately. REPORT NOW!

  5. How are countries like Bangladesh rated so high in terms of "women's rights" when women have little to no inheritance and property rights, make up such a small portion of the workforce, and are rarely granted the same educational opportunities as men in these countries… this shit don't add up at all

    By far my least favorite segment on this channel… not rooted in facts at all

  6. The ERA was something introduced in the early 1900s when women had no right to enfranchisement and no constitutionally-protected rights… is this really something we need in today's political and social atmosphere?

    Many prominent female leaders of the time period even refused to pass this bill because it promoted preferential treatment over equality… it's a flawed bill.

  7. What rights do women not have? No one has equal right, even the men who are supposedly guaranteed them. I guarantee a wealthy woman gets more "equal" treatment under law than I ever will.

  8. Imagine wanting a man’s validation so badly that you’d disenfranchise your whole gender. On a completely unrelated note, 53 percent of white women voted for the current president of the United States.

  9. Phyllis Schlafly’s story was just depressing. Like imagine being a woman whose entire career was devoted to discouraging other women from having careers.

  10. Neither were people of color (the whole slavery thing was going on) that has still not been corrected…

  11. 40 years ago, we thought ERA'd be passed, Right to abortions Done and pot would be legal but we've been fucked since Jimmy Carter…

  12. This video exists because of a misinterpretation of the Declaration of Independence? Challenge: Can someone tell me a single legal protection the ERA would grant women that intervening reforms haven't already?

  13. I sadly was ignorant of this.
    The civil war might explain some of those but I guess Missouri is the Show Me everything but equality state. 😒
    My hope is that social media like this will open the eyes and minds of generations now and to come so that the ignorance of Pa, the ones who didn't 🚬 🏪 👋 , isn't a child's only source of knowledge.

  14. bangladesh is over US in gender equality ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. I love you, Desi! Thanks to your womansplaining I can finally understand what is going on in the world.

  16. Woman- “When it comes to gender equality America is ranked 42 in the world”

    Me- ah shit, here we go again

  17. im all for gender equality but only for men and women not those made up genders like trans and gender fluid bullshit

  18. It sounds to me that she wants the same rights as men "which she has" she just doesnt want the bad things in life.

  19. Anyone notice that the old confederate states are holdouts? Does not surprise me in the least. Their motto "Keep 'em barefoot and pregnant." Besides, those lunatic bible-thumpers will tell you, "Bible says women are property don't you all know?"

  20. I dont know much, but for what I seen, I have nothing against the ERA. With hat said, women's rights are protected under the law and here in the US we usually have no issues with discrimination against women. Women even excel over men in certain areas of our society.

  21. sorry Desi. you're awesome, but i live in GA. they are signing a 'heartbeat' law today. you'll only have unassailable rights here if you're a white christian male.

  22. The reason is Religions.
    Adam successfully repented for his Sins,
    which is why their sons where allowed into Eden but not their daughters.
    Which is why some religious people think men are greater.

    However, they like to cherry-pick-out that Cain never did repent for his sins,
    and that he is the real origin of modern man's sin.

    We where created equal, it doesn't matter if one of us actually is better then the rest,
    thinking or acting like we are, is the deadliest sin of Pride.
    This was Lucifer's Sin, he thought himself better then God and rebelled against him.

  23. To be fair, we shouldn't have to put this into law. It's kind of like Affirmative action, we really shouldn't need it but because a few people suck, it has to exist.

  24. i'm all for equality. But equality means equality, nothing less. If there are areas women are not given an equal footing with men, then i support the fight, 100%. But it goes both way, women should not have privilege or double standard in any area whatsoever, none. Equality for all. That's what i believe.

  25. It's sad that we even have to add that language to something that's supposed to protect everyone

  26. Bangladesh is On Number 47
    Better than You
    oh the irony
    Bangladesh Bangladesh
    জয় বাংলা Joy Bangla

  27. I hear about women rights issues and it kinda makes sense. Then I hear a woman talk about it…then I lose total interest and just don't care anymore.

  28. I think the Founding Fathers meant what they said. Men were the breadwinners, they wore the leggings in the family, not the women. That is to say, they wore the wigs in the family, not the women. What I mean is, they wore the high heeled shoes, not the women. So they deserved all the rights…then again, maybe they made a spelling mistake and were really women all the time.

  29. Well this seemed like a bit obvious to me but men has been used to mean humanity for a LONG time of course then women were mainly considered property but women have no legal disadvantage than a man. Of course there are some people that think women are inferior but that's a tiny minority. (Note: uncomfortable situations like catcalling and criticism isn't oppression)

  30. If women in America want equal rights, then they should also have to sign up for the draft like men do. There's a reason why I left the country.

  31. Arguing that the constitution says "man" and not woman is ignorant. No matter what side you say it from. It's a bold-faced equivocation; but whatever. Shitty Rhetoric and not Good Arguments are all anyone has anymore.

  32. I'm an immigrant, I didn't know that. Hard to believe something like that is possible in 2019! It just illustrates how the USA is so behind the times! All very "Stepford Wives"

  33. Things I really liked. The West Wing episode where Ainsley Hayes explains the the ERA is redundant because the 14th Amendment protects women like other citizens.

    Things I really hated. Finding out Aaron Sorkin should have researched that great speech better because Scalia and the Federalist Society explicitly contend the 14th amendment is restricted to 'Black Men' (Or possibly Black men and Women) because 'Originalism'.

    Every time in my life I've ever found a conservative argument I thought was well reasoned and cogent it turns out it was a liberal or moderate trying to make a perfectly reasonable argument founded in principles conservatives claim to respect, not realizing that 'conservatives' had already declared no, whatever their supposed principles, it surely didn't meant *that*.


  34. ERA means that men can have the same rights as women too yea? Okay. I work in porn. I get paid over 10 times less than the women. I say YES to ERA! I am tired of being exploited!!! Vote yes for men to get paid the same as women in the adult industry!!
    Edit. No. I will not go to gay porn just get paid more, even though it is still far less than the women in the porn industry. But thanks for the advice!!

  35. Interesting. I'd like to read a summary of the actual legalese of course (sometimes legislators choose alluring titles, like "patriot act", for stuff, to get it passed). But good of Desi to spread the word on the existence of the amendment.

  36. jesus women wanna be man so hard just let them they have no idea how hard it is. it's so hard we die 20 year earlier

  37. Usa under botswana lol who made that list? There is very real and in your face gender discrimination but lets change the wording with an amendment. The states that hold sexist laws wont give them up from the amendemnt lol. Look at jim crow and the currant affair of voting its a joke and a scam. This is alot like womans suffarge and the right to vote it looks like you can accomplish something great but all youve done is bought into a scam. It makes me think really if congress knew that giving women voting rights meant nothing becuase all of the electoral voters are men. Im guessing yes because the even with women being able to vote alot of things are still backwards. There are states where women can get there tubes tied with out permission so there ya go.

  38. She is beautiful and funny and smart. I bet she can’t bake, cook or clean…😀 Today’s Woman.

  39. it will never happen in the USA because there are women in the United States that think that women having the right to vote is bad for family values. There are women who wont think for themselves because they think that they should just do whatever men say.

  40. I have emailed both Arizona Senators and asked them to support ERA ratification. Arizona has never had 2 female Senators. This is the perfect time to support ratification and make a statement with legal protections under the Constitution. 🙂

  41. Can women vote? Yea. Can women have jobs? Yep. Can women own property? Yeah. I don't see a problem now

  42. my favorite thing about conservatives is how you can say something innocuous like “Pass ERA” and two seconds later they're right in your face screaming about INFANTICIDE! or TWO GENDERS! or DEMOCRATIC PLANTATION! or whatever fucknuttery they've been whipped into a frenzy about this week

  43. The reason it hasn't been passed is because it's supposed to be covered in the civil rights act.

    Fun fact, adding sex to the Civil rights act was done by people trying to get it blocked because the thought was soo ridiculous at the time.

  44. Looking at the view count .. no equality over here neither. 🙂

    btw – this easy to solve. Make it a competition between the remaining states:
    Everybody will remember the state that made the difference!

  45. I'm all for the ERA passing but I really don't understand why there is so much disinformation around passage of the ERA. One more state ratifying it will not pass the ERA. There was a 7 year time limit for ratification in the amendment. Several court cases, some that went to the Supreme Court, have upheld the legitimacy of including time limits in proposed amendments. Also, several states rescinded there ratifications of the amendment and it hasn't been adjudicated as to whether or not those rescissions are legal. Also, one of the main reasons the ERA didn't pass was because of Supreme Court cases and other federal civil right laws being passed that made it illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of sex. Basically providing the same protections, at least under the law if not in practice, that the ERA would provide making it redundant.

  46. I am very much in favor of equal rights for everyone, but I am against the ERA. We already have an equal rights amendment, it's the 14th Amendment. We should not make changes to the Constitution that are not needed. The problem of equal rights is not a constitutional problem, it is a social problem.

  47. The Constitutions needs to be tossed out and Replaced with a New Constitution, starting "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all humans are created equal." But Because Americans in general don't think that's true, it will never happen. I will see you all in Hell…..

  48. The historical use of the word “men” as used in the constitution and Declaration of Independence is not the literal definition of the word man, it is used as another form of people. Also as far as amendments for equal rights go, if it is the state or state run institution stepping on your rights do to race or sex, then the equal protection clause of the 14 amendment is your friend. If it is the federal government then the 5th amendment’s due process clause is what you need as through due process you get equal protection

  49. This is just stupid sorry I admire you but to intepert "All men are created equal" as a discremenation against women is stupid, men here refers to "mankind" which in turn refers to human beigns men and women

  50. Wait wait wait wait wait …….. I live in one of those states!

    What the hell is wrong with Utah?!?!
    Sigh, not like I don't already know …..

  51. The US is absolutely fucking ridiculous. Land of the free my ass. Land of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and medieval conservative views. Controlled by greedy capitalists. While the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, now there's a new factor; people are dying because the country is literally (go check the statistics over many categories) the worst in the developed world. Oh and I forgot to mention the insane amount of police and mass shootings everywhere

  52. Equal rights for women? Sweet! Maybe that'll be a step closer to getting states to not let underage girls marry rapists that got them pregnant because her conservative Christian parents think that the real tragedy is having a baby out of wedlock!

  53. Anyone of you so called civics "intellectuals" even know the first thing about the 1964 civil Rights act? That if it wasn't for Republicans it would have never passed. Can anyone explain why the democrats filibustered the 1964 civil Rights act for 54 days, until republican minority leader Everett Dirkson said enough was enough and stopped the democratic filibuster and allowed the civil Rights act to pass. Can anybody explain to me why the democratic party allowed a US sitting senator to stay in office as a high up member of the KKK? Infact he was a recruiter for the KKK, which he recruited more members then any other member of the KKK. Hilirary KKK Clinton is on record stating he was a great mentor of hers. Bill Clinton defended him multiple times saying he was just a good ol boy that didn't mean no harm. Why did JFK and his brother the (AG) at the time, order wire taps on Martin Luther King Jr? Can any of you brilliant historians explain that? The 13th,14th and 15th amendments all passed by a republican congress under democratic opposition.
    First Hispanic governor was a republican (Romualdo Pacheco) 1875.
    Republicans established Howard University for African Americans.
    The first black senator was a republican Hiram revels. I can go on and on. All the way to the equal rights 19th amendment written by a republican that granted women the right to vote, Arthur sargent wrote it in 1878, for 4 decades the democrats opposed it until 1919 a republican congress was finally able to get it passed.
    They don't teach real history in schools do they? Of course they don't because they would rather indocrinate you with there propaganda bullshit to brainwash you in their radical leftist ideology. Wake up folks the democratic party is destroying this country and have been for decades.

  54. I and most people do not care for your blasphamey in taking the Lords name in vain, shame on you for more than one reason. You are weaker, not equal manipulitive creatures. Just look at the gold digger pranks by Hooman. He exposes the way all women really are. Users that think they are equal. You cant phisically do half the things I can. You deserve less than half my pay since you are weak. You pay more for the 4×4 truck. Its more capeable so it costs more, just like men. They can do a lot more so deserve to be paid more!!!!

  55. Equal gender rights? LMFAO it's 2019. You defacto already surpassed us men in rights and privileges but you just can't get enough huh. Always claiming the victim card GTFAO already

Leave a Reply
