The equal rights amendment originated with suffragist Alice Paul. In 1923 its wording was simple: "Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction." In 1972, both houses of Congress finally passed the amendment. Now it was up to the states to ratify it. It would need three fourths of the states to ratify it, 38 in all-to become law. And it would need to be ratified within seven years thanks to an agreement by both parties. 50 years later, the amendment still has legs but its future is unclear. In 2020, Virginia became the final state to ratify the amendment, but it's unclear what happens next. What is certain is that a simple sentence declaring equality of the sexes is, for now, a dream deferred.