For the Equal Rights Amendment

Hypophora is a rhetorical device in which a speaker poses a question and then immediately provides an answer to that question. The technique anticipates and addresses potential questions or objections that the audience may have, thereby engaging them and guiding their thoughts in a particular direction.

Chisholm uses hypophora several times throughout her speech, pushing the United States Congressional representatives (and the greater society at large) to reflect and consider her points. Chisholm raises hypothetical questions to anticipate doubts about the impact of the Equal Rights Amendment and then provides reassuring answers. For example, after asking, “What would the legal effects of the equal rights amendment really be?” (Paragraph 6), she allows a moment for her audience to reflect. She then offers her own insight into how state and local governments would address the ERA from a legal perspective. Chisholm utilizes hypophora to preempt questions that may be asked by those who are less supportive of the bill.

Another effective rhetorical strategy utilized by Chisholm in this speech is rebuttal. Often, persuasive speakers and writers will bring up some of their opponents’ arguments in order to offer reasoning against them.