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The U.S. Constitution was written by white male property owners before its adoption in 1788 and despite the admonition of Abigail Adams to husband John not to forget the ladies, women weren't mentioned in it.

Therefore, women had no rights but there were, also, no restrictions on abortion or any other health issues. Women couldn’t vote, own property, hold public office, enter into legal contracts, serve on juries, etc. They were basically subject to the authority of their husbands or fathers.



Only white male property owners had the right to vote until 1870, when all men could. Not until 1920 were women allowed to vote. Since 1923, women have been calling for equality in the Constitution in the form of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a proposed amendment to guarantee equal rights and legal protections in the U.

S. regardless of sex or gender. It states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

” It has met all the legal requirements for its adoption, but the male-majority legislatures haven't adopted it. According to a study released by the World Economic Forum, in 2023 the United States is in 44th place for gender equality because of a widening gap in political empowerment and health outcomes between men and women. The U.

S. has a high maternal mortality rate for a high-income country, with 19 deaths per 100,000 live births. In 2024, women earn about 84% of what men earn for the same job and.

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