Equal Rights Amendment North Carolina Alliance

It's Time to Write Women Into the Constitution!

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Join our Leadership Team

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As a part of Board development, the ERA-NC Alliance is always open to receiving applications of interest from those who wish to be considered to fill open positions and unexpired terms.

To be considered you need to be a member in good standing (completed the required membership forms/process and be current with dues, etc.) per our Bylaws. You may also wish to review the Board of Directors Election Process page.

If you are interested in having your application submitted to the Board Development pool, please review the bylaws which include our mission statement, and download and complete the application form. Please feel free to elaborate on your answers in Section 2. A resume and references may accompany the application, but are not necessary. You may scan and email the document(s) along with a photo of yourself, and return it to nominations@era-nc.org, or mail them to ERA-NC Alliance Nominations Committee, P.O. Box 20222, Winston-Salem, NC 27120.

Currently, ERA-NC has the following positions open:

  • Board Director (4)

Thank you so much for your membership with the Alliance. We are only as strong as the number of people willing to speak up and advocate for equal rights, and the coming year we will build on the momentum for the Equal Rights Amendment. Your energy and commitment will help to make the ERA a reality!

 

Action Alert US Senate

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CALL TO ACTION

On February 13, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 79 to remove the arbitrary time limit for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Now the battle moves to the Senate. And NOW is the time for you to phone, write, message, and text N.C. Senators Tillis and Burr with this clear, simple message:

Dear Sen. _____:

“Please vote ‘yes’ to remove the deadline to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment by passing SJR 6. As your constituent, I strongly support equal rights for all and appreciate your voting ‘yes’ to drop the time limit.  Thank you so much!!”

Contact information:

Senator Thom Tillis
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Phone Number: (202) 224-6342
Contact form for comments: www.tillis.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me

Senator Richard Burr
217 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone Numbers: (202) 224-3154 or (800)685-8916
Contact form for comments: www.burr.senate.gov/contact/email

Virginia Ratifies the ERA!

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Photos of the final vote tally in the Virginia legislature as both chambers voted to ratify the ERAOn January 27th, 2020, both the chambers of the Virginia state legislature voted “yes” on House Joint Resolution 1 (by a vote of 58-40) and its sister bill, SJ1 (by a vote of 27-12), formally ratifying the ERA.

And with that, we’ve reached the Constitution’s required three-quarters of the states ratifying the amendment for certification.

The ERA declares simply: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, or by any state, on account of sex.”

A collection of statements on the ratification:

Jessica Neuwirth and Carol Jenkins, co-presidents of the national ERA Coalition told CNN Politics: “We are finally within reach of true equality for girls and women in the United States, thanks to the voters of Virginia and supporters across the country.”

Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority and former president of the National Organization for Women writes, “At last! At last!” She says, “I have had the privilege of being one of the leaders in the ERA fight for nearly 50 years. I always knew this day would come. It has never been a question of if, but only a question of when the ERA would be ratified. The fight for the ERA has been long because we’ve had a powerful entrenched opposition who has wanted to preserve the old order of women being forced to work twice as hard for half as much and paying more for less. But this time of taking advantage of women and their families is coming to an end.”

From Toni Van Pelt, president of the National Organization for women: “Today’s crossover vote makes Virginia officially the 38th state needed to ratify the ERA—passing the three-fourths of the states threshold the U.S. Constitution requires for final adoption of an amendment.  However, obstacles to certification remain, including an artificial timeline imposed in the preamble to the ERA in 1972. While the timeline removal bill making its way through Congress is not necessary—legal analysts have asserted that Article V of the Constitution does not permit the imposition of deadlines on the ratification process—it would provide extra insurance as the ERA certification process goes forward. NOW calls on Congress to act on S.J.Res.6 and correct the Constitution’s most glaring omission.  It is simply never too late for equality.”

Equal Means Equal film director, Kamala Lopez, wrote: “This moment has been a long time coming, but finally the United States can emerge from the shame and shadow of its historic discrimination against women and girls and join the 21st century by providing all Americans with equal rights and protections under our Constitution regardless of sex.”

Now the focus turns to the lawsuit filed by Equal Means Equal January 8th in U.S. District Court in Boston to prevent a government official from blocking efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, arguing that the Congressionally imposed ERA ratification deadline is unconstitutional.

In addition to this lawsuit, the ERA-NC Alliance will keep the drumbeat going for the ERA. That means we will continue to work for state ratification – and here in North Carolina we’re determined to be the 39th state to ratify the ERA. With each additional state ratification, we will show that it is the will of the American people to see women equally protected under the United States Constitution.

On the federal level, we are working to lift that pesky deadline by Congressional action, and during the week of Feb. 10th the U.S. House will take up the bill (HJ79) to eliminate the time limit on the amendment. The U.S. Senate has a sister bill (SJ6), which is a bi-partisan bill with 41 co-sponsors.

We invite you to join the ERA-NC Alliance and to volunteer your time and yes – your dollars! – to help us make North Carolina the next state to ratify. We will win!!!

Responses to Arguments Against the Equal Rights Amendment

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Abortion:  

  • “ERA has nothing to do with abortion” and “pro-life and ERA “do not conflict” (Rep. Steve Andersson of Illinois, a Republican, practicing attorney, and lead ERA supporter)
  • Ratifying a federal ERA will not change state law at all; so, it will not lead to any change in state laws relating to abortion. (Winston & Strawn LLP law firm)
  • “Over 300 pro-life laws passed in the last 8 years – most in states that voted for ERA” (Rep. Jill Tolles of Nevada, pro-life Republican who spoke in support of the ERA ratification)

Fear of Losing Rights for Women:

  • “I surveyed the past 45 years after 41 states had some form of ERA. Many of the fearful consequences have not nor will they occur.” (Rep. Jill Tolles)
  • Issues presented by conservative family coalitions around transgender and same sex bathrooms are not connected to the ERA. Rep. Steve Andersson states “none of which would happen under ERA and I can prove it to you.”
  • The government would still be able to draw a distinction based on sex if it passes “strict scrutiny”. Most of the laws we think of as benefiting women like social security regulations, estate laws, laws requiring child and spousal support are actually already sex-neutral. (Winston & Strawn)

Women already have enough protections

  • The 14th Amendment and the 5th Amendment do not apply to sex in the same way they apply to race or national origin. The result is that sex discrimination is viewed less strictly than other discriminatory acts (Winston & Strawn)
  • The US Constitution does not guarantee equal rights for women. The late Justice Scalia has stated, “Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only question is whether it prohibits it. It doesn’t.”

Republican Voices

Jill Tolles: Her vote for the ERA was made out of “gratitude and respect for countless others who fought for women to have an equal voice and equal value and for my daughters and the generations to come.”

 

Rep. Jim Durkin, Republican leader in Illinois legislature: Changed his vote to support the ERA because “I couldn’t do it to my daughter.”

 

Rep. Steve Andersson: “Republicans have to find areas that are good social advances.”

 

 

Compiled by Ann Von Brock, ERA-NC Alliance, 2019

Sources:
– Written Copy of Speech by Jill Tolles, 2017
– Public Speech by Steve Andersson to Arizona ERA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftKIF9cV800&t=9s&fbclid=IwAR2JWhVSfIQrEYfSDbWfi9DKQUeS-RAFSBdk6r9c5CbVRIaf6MgQljEHXW4

Constitution Day Activities

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Constitution Day Billboard Campaign Sample Activities

House Parties

  • Wilmington Billboard Selfie!Show the film “Legalize Equality”
  • Discuss with guests
  • Give each guest a complimentary copy of a pocket Constitution
  • Have each guest sign one designated copy of a Constitution
  • Present the signed copy to your County Commissioners or City Council members and ask them to work to pass an ERA Resolution as a
  • Invite guests to join ERA-NC Alliance

[Read more…] about Constitution Day Activities

Constitution Day and the ERA

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ERA Billboard
Click to download high-resolution image.

Note to Press: you can also download the press release for this event.

The ERA-NC Alliance, AAUW-NC and NC NOW are launching a statewide ERA awareness campaign in advance of Constitution Day. Billboards, installed strategically across North Carolina (see locations below), will call for state ratification of the ERA. During the weeks leading up to Constitution Day on Sept. 17, advocates will promote ERA ratification with a series of activities, including an Instagram challenge.

The presidents of the three statewide organizations will jointly announce the campaign at a press conference August 22nd at 2 pm in the NC Legislative Building Press Room with state Sen. Floyd B. McKissick, Jr., and Rep. Carla Cunningham, the primary sponsors of ERA bills SB184 and HB271, respectively. Additional primary sponsors of the bills are Sens. Erica Smith and Terry Van Duyn, as well as Reps. Susan Fisher, Evelyn Terry and Julie von Haefen. You can watch the full press conference. [Read more…] about Constitution Day and the ERA