Question

supporters of the equal rights amendment (era) believed it would

• decrease gender-based disparities
• expand gender discrimination
• strengthen traditional gender roles
• weaken womens rights

Explanation:

Identify the core goal of the Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. It sought to end legal distinctions between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment, and other matters.

Evaluate the given options against the goals of ERA supporters

• "decrease gender-based disparities": This aligns directly with the goal of establishing legal equality and reducing differences in treatment based on sex.
• "expand gender discrimination": This is the opposite of what supporters wanted.
• "strengthen traditional gender roles": Opponents of the ERA (such as Phyllis Schlafly) argued this, whereas supporters wanted to move past rigid traditional roles.
• "weaken women's rights": Supporters aimed to strengthen, not weaken, women's rights.

Select the correct option

The option "decrease gender-based disparities" is the only choice that represents the beliefs and goals of the supporters of the ERA.

Answer:

• decrease gender-based disparities (Correct answer)
• expand gender discrimination
• strengthen traditional gender roles
• weaken women's rights