Abstract
In 1977, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) required ratification by three more states before it could be added to the U.S. Constitution. Florida was considered a battleground state and as the vote deadline loomed, pro- and anti- forces held marches and protests while celebrities and politicians visited the state to rally each side. In the midst of the heavy media coverage stood Florida Senator Lori Wilson-one of the few women in the legislature and a sponsor of the ERA. This study examines the fight leading up to that 1977 Florida defeat of the measure by looking at the media's coverage of the ERA battles, women-versus-women themes and Senator Wilson's mediated representation. It concludes with the current status of the ERA in Florida.
Recommended Citation
Voss, Kimberly Wilmot
(2009)
"The Florida Fight for Equality: The Equal Rights Amendment, Senator Lori Wilson and Mediated Catfights in the 1970s,"
Florida Historical Quarterly: Vol. 88:
No.
2, Article 4.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/fhq/vol88/iss2/4
