The Equal Rights Amendment Is Law. Now We Must Implement It.
A constitutional responsibility shared by all Americans
There are moments in a nation’s life when it is quietly asked
to come into deeper alignment with its own truth.
This is such a moment.
In 2020, the Equal Rights Amendment met the constitutional requirements for
ratification.
Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of
sex.
This is not a future aspiration.
It is a constitutional standard.
The question now is whether we will fully implement and enforce what the Constitution
requires.
A Constitutional Gap Between Principle and Practice
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Fifth Amendment to
the United States Constitution establish equality in principle.
Yet, as reflected in the Women’s Declaration of Independence,
these guarantees have not been applied consistently to women.
Courts have used a lower standard for sex-based classifications,
allowing inequality to persist.
The Equal Rights Amendment clarifies the standard.
Why Implementation Matters
When constitutional equality is not fully realized:
Protections are inconsistent
Economic realities are distorted
Harm is not addressed with full seriousness
A democracy that does not fully protect women is not complete.
Conclusion
The Constitution now speaks clearly.
The work before us is to bring practice into alignment with principle.
Refuse Silence. Act Now
• Read the Women’s Declaration of Independence out loud on July 4
• Sing the Battle Hymn of Equality
• Fly the Women’s Flag
Share your celebration online, use the hashtag:
#WeWillNotBeSilent