Obstacles to Equality?

AP US Government and Politics

Do you think that most Americans agree with the following statement: "Significant obstacle still make it harder for women to get ahead then men."

Pew Research Center

AP US Government and Politics

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. How surprised are you by this data?

3. Do you believe that, "Significant obstacle still make it harder for women to get ahead then men." 

4. Give one example to support your opinion:

5. According to the data, what demographic groups most agreed with the statement that, "Significant obstacle still make it harder for women to get ahead then men."

6. Why do you think Republicans and Democrats have such different views on this issue?

7. What would be a good title for this chart?

8. What do you think this data would have looked like 30 years ago, and what do you think this data will look like 30 years from now?

9. What are some obstacles that make it harder for women to get ahead that have been removed in the past half century?

10. What are some remaining obstacles that make it harder for women to get ahead that remain?

11. Imagine you were the head of an interest group trying to remove obstacles to equality. Describe 2 methods your interest group could use that would be the most likely to produce change.

12. Explain what role political socialization plays in this data.

13. What does this data tell you about current American political culture?

14. How do the Americans' attitudes about obstacles to women vary by race, ethnicity, gender, and education level?*

15. In 1972 the Equal Rights AMendment** to the constitution was passed by 2/3 of congress and then was sent to the states to be ratified. 35 states ratified the E.R.A., but that did not meet the 3/4 threshold (38) states needed to ratify the amendment. If you were asked to vote on this amendment, explain how you would vote:

16. WHat does the map of states that ratified the E.R.A. tell you about the geography of equality? *

Visual Extension*

The Equal Rights Amendment**

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Learning Extension

Read this Pew report on attitudes about gender and obstacles.

Action Extension

List all the obstacles you can think of that make it harder for men to get ahead. List all the obstacles you can think of that make it harder for women to get ahead. Make a chart/poster/flyer about this and post it on the wall of your school or on social media.

Our World In Data Extension

Our Animals in Clothing Extension