More radical activists also argued that equal rights would mean that protection would have to be extended to both men and women.
- Some felt that if equal pay was introduced it would have a disastrous effect on women’s employment prospects as employers would not be able to afford women workers and unemployment amongst women would rise.
- Only Wisconsin passed equal rights legislation (1921.)
- The issues over existing laws, which did discriminate but often in women’s favour, were too complex an issue.
Later attempts in the 1970s and after failed either because of the deep divisions among women, or opposition in Congress and state legislatures and from employers.