This Thursday, Aug. 26 marks Women’s Equality Day—the day we celebrate the anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s constitutional right to vote in the U.S. The day’s commemoration was first designated at the behest of former Rep. Bella Abzug (D-N.Y.) in 1971 and officially passed in 1973. While women technically fought for and won the right to vote, the battle for voting access wages on to this day.
Moreover, women still must fight for full equality—including constitutional equality.
As we witness the renewed attacks on women’s fundamental rights in Afghanistan and remember how quickly women’s rights in this country were rolled back during the Trump administration, we are reminded how critical it is that we secure final ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.
The upcoming Women’s Equality Day is a perfect opportunity to call upon the Senate to pass SJ Res 1 to remove the arbitrary ratification time limit in the preamble of the ERA.
Take Action: Rally for Women’s Equality
On Thursday, leaders and activists working for the ERA will gather in front of the Supreme Court, across from the U.S. Senate, to rally for the ERA.
If you’re in the D.C. area, or are able to get there safely, join the ERA Coalition, Feminist Majority Foundation (publisher of Ms.), Transformative Justice Coalition, National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Congress of Black Women, Women’s Media Center, National Women’s Political Caucus, Generation Ratify, Women’s March, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Equal Means Equal, Equality Now, the League of Women Voters, the National Council on Black Civic Participation and the Black Women’s Roundtable, Justice for Migrant Women, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), Supermajority, MANA and other organizations for a #Rally4ERA on August 26 at noon ET. Activists will be gathering in front of the U.S. Supreme Court steps, and calling for women to finally be equal under the law. (Masked and vaxxed please!)
If you can’t join the rally in person, Ms. will be live-streaming the event on Facebook, so please watch—along with calling or writing your U.S. senator!
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