Um, that's not "my text", its the Equal Rights Amendment, passed by both houses and many (but not enough) states...but you knew that right?  We can dispute the wisdom of an amendment to protect the rights of women (and men, but that is probably not the intent).  But my point is that something most of Americans want, and passed most of the process got weighed down and ultimately stopped by a few stodgy states.

The amendment process was conceived in a country that only had 13 states, not 50.  Again, another example of the founding fathers not being able see the future perfectly.