Drafted by suffragist Alice Paul in 1923, the ERA was designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex, seeking to end the legal distinctions between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment, and other matters. The ERA was introduced in Congress in every session between 1923 and 1972 but often met with little support. The feminist movement's resurgence in the 1960s revitalized interest in the ERA. Advocates argued that existing laws were not sufficient to protect women's rights fully, and a constitutional amendment was necessary for true gender