It was March of 1972 when Congress sent an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the states. The text was originally purported by advocates to create legal equality of men and women, but now those left-wing activists have vocally used this to radically promote expanding abortion and other liberal agenda items.

The 1972 resolution required 38 states to ratify this Constitutional Amendment within seven years. Supporters failed to get enough states to support the amendment within the seven years. As a result, the ERA expired. Court decisions have since affirmed that the deadline has passed and the ERA of the 70s is dead.

But now, Democrats in Congress are ignoring the seven-year deadline and attempting to claim that the ERA has been ratified. (It hasn’t.)  Their goal? Enshrine harmful gender and abortion policy into the U.S. Constitution, including ensuring that every state protects abortion on demand until birth. This is a direct assault on state legislatures that have fought hard to protect unborn life and minors seeking gender transitions.

Because “sex” is not defined in the legislation, this would open the door for expanding the definition to include “sexual orientation and gender identity”—something the Biden Administration has supported whenever possible.

How would the Equal Rights Amendment impact everyday Americans?

The Senate is poised to vote on legislation to advance the Equal Rights Amendment, S.J. Res. 4, THIS Thursday, and we need your help to let your Senators know that they should vote against this harmful legislation.

Instead, Senators should cosponsor S. Res. 107, led by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. This resolution recognizes the fact that the 1972 Equal Rights Amendment has expired and any attempt to revive it is not constitutional.

The ERA resolution is unnecessary and has broad ramifications for every aspect of society. Tell your Senators that the ERA is past its prime, and it is time to move on from 1972’s attempts to enshrine dangerous language into the Constitution.

Sincerely,

Ruth Ward
Director, Government Relations

Originally adopted in 1893, the Great Seal of the State of Wyoming
prominently features “Equal Rights”.

 

According to some, last Thursday saw the passage and addition of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. Obviously, there was little splash because it didn’t happen. That didn’t stop several radical leftist groups and the office of President Joe Biden from releasing statements declaring that it either IS or SHOULD be part of the Constitution.

Tracing the history of the ERA from its introduction in 1923 to its passage through Congress in 1972 to this past week’s discussion shows the vast changes in the American political and moral landscape that have occurred in America, especially in the last five years.

In 1972, the ERA passed Congress with a supermajority of votes from the House of Representatives and the Senate. After approving a deadline of 1982, the ERA was released to the states for ratification. Because it was a proposed Constitutional Amendment, two thirds of the states had to ratify it as well. That year, 22 of the needed 38 states quickly ratified it, and eight more joined the following year. By 1977, five more had joined, bringing the total number to 35, just three short of the 38 states need to ratify the Amendment and make it a permanent part of the Constitution. But, as awareness grew of the implications of the ERA, five states quickly rescinded their ratification, and no other state joined before the 1982 deadline.

The reason? On its face, the text of the Equal Rights Amendment sounds like something everyone would agree with. It states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Where controversy erupted in the 1970s was in the assertion that abortion was a fundamental part of equality according to the ERA. With the passage of Roe v. Wade in 1973, the abortion lobby desired to enshrine the practice of abortion in the Constitution itself.

A further reason for increasing opposition has risen over the past five years. Some in our society have openly argued that human sexuality is based upon fluid feelings rather than immutable biology. Consequently, the passage of the ERA today would not accomplish the purpose its authors intended in 1923. The ERA could be used to overturn its original meaning if men, declaring themselves to be women, insist upon invading the privacy of actual biological women. It could even be used to break the promise of Title IX, which gave young women opportunities to gain collegiate sports scholarships.

We have a proud tradition in Wyoming of leading the nation on issues of women’s rights.

In Wyoming, the “Equality State,” we have always valued our ladies.

In Wyoming, we hold all lives, born and unborn to be of equal value. We also hold that men should not invade the rights of women.

The story of the ERA shows how far our culture has drifted over the past century – and why Christians insist that every person, man or woman, born or unborn, is created in the image of God and is of the highest value.

For Wyoming,

Nathan Winters
Executive Director

If you’re watching Woke DC, it may seem like every day is cloudy with new attacks on common sense, the Constitution, conscience rights, and more.

From nearly a hundred bills in Congress containing “Equality Act” language, to rules promoting abortion, to federal election takeover attempts, the left is pressuring every system to comply with their agenda—every chance they get.

And while that might seem like bad news, it really means that YOU are turning the tide! Your quick response successfully stopped Chuck Schumer’s attempt to break the filibuster rules in the Senate. The federal election overhaul was frozen on its fast-track (again). And don’t forget, last year you stopped the Equality Act in the Senate! Those are important victories!

These recent pro-family wins are why the Left is now urging Congress to recognize the so-called “Equal Rights Amendment” as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress in the early 70s. But before the ERA could become an official amendment to the Constitution, it needed to be ratified (approved) by 38 states before the year 1982.

That didn’t happen.

At this point in our history, the ERA would likely be used to codify a so-called “right to abortion” (in the likely event Roe is overturned), and advance radical ideas about gender in every part of federal law.

This is not your grandmother’s ERA. It’s not about equality or women’s rights. Under the Left’s new definitions of “sex and gender, any man can be a woman—anytime, anyplace, and at any cost. This means the Equal Rights Amendment— originally intended for women— could be used to allow men into women’s locker rooms, restrooms, prisons, scholarships, sports teams, and even shelters for victims of sexual assault—without question.

The Left is also trying to introduce these radical gender policies through the Biden administrative state. For instance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is trying to force healthcare plans to cover elective “gender transition services.”

Our team submitted a comment on behalf of pro-family Americans like you, opposing this radical rule that you can read here.

The Left knows that families are winning across the nation. These desperate attempts from DC to impose radical ideas are due in large part to the fact that you helped stop the Equality Act last year. And they know their time is short as the midterm election looms on the horizon.

Keep raising your voice. It is truly making a difference.

Nicole Hudgens
Government Affairs

Dear Friends,

What a month it’s been.

On February 25, the U.S. House passed the dangerous so-called Equality Act. That Act would redefine “sex” to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” across federal non-discrimination law. As we’ve shared with you before, the Equality Act would hurt women and children, destroy girls’ sports, threaten the rights of parents and doctors, and even open the door to expanded abortion.

This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on that bill. You can send your Senators a message opposing the Equality Act here.

On March 8, President Biden signed two Executive Orders that promote a radical view of sex and gender. One of these Executive Orders will likely be used to allow males to compete (and win) in girls’ sports and to enter girls’ locker rooms and restrooms.

And today, the U.S. House will consider the Equal Rights Amendment — a proposal that could be used to expand abortion, override good sex-based protections for women, and even broaden the definition of sex beyond biological sex.

I’m sensing a theme: redefining sex and, in the process, erasing women.

That’s why today you are invited to join Family Policy Alliance President and CEO Craig DeRoche for a conversation with Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10) as they reveal what’s going on and what Americans can do about it.

JOIN US

Erasing Women: A Conversation with Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10)

Livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube

TODAY, March 17, 2021

 2:45 PM ET/1:45 PM CT/12:45 PM MT/11:45 AM PT

Please join us and don’t forget to send your Senators a message opposing the Equality Act.

See you soon!

Meridian Baldacci
Policy and Communications Strategist

 

 

P.S. Seeing this late? You can still watch the livestream on Facebook and YouTube, and you can still send your Senator a message!