By Patricia Nugent
Women's Rights Awareness Campaign: a project of LWVSC
Update 6/18/24 from the Times Union newspaper:
”Appellate court puts Equal Rights Amendment back on NY ballot: A constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights and prohibit discrimination related to gender has been put back on the November ballot.”
https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/appellate-court-puts-equal-rights-amendment-back-19521221.php
The League of Women Voters in New York State has been on the front lines of a campaign to get an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed to the NYS Constitution, which would protect the civil rights of marginalized groups as well as reproductive rights. To amend the State Constitution, a bill has to pass the legislative branch two consecutive sessions, prior to being voted on by the general public. This was successfully accomplished so the amendment was queued up for a public vote this November, with various stakeholder groups initiating voter education and awareness.
However, a legal challenge brought by conservatives regarding the protocol for getting it on the ballot was recently upheld by a judge in Western N.Y. That ruling is now being appealed by the NYS Attorney General, and we are hopeful that the appeal will be successful. About 18 bills have taken the same procedural route as this one, but none of those were ever challenged so this is new legal territory. And one can't help but wonder why this particular bill was singled out for a procedural challenge. Or was it challenged for a different reason?
We were asked to report back to our state League on the local impact of this judicial ruling and subsequent interruption of the campaign, Below is the response we submitted, reflecting the deep concern and disappointment of our volunteers, who are primarily women painfully aware of the injustice they continue to face. We will continue to provide updates as the process unfolds. Until then, don't give up on equality for all! It is one of the League's primary missions! Questions and concerns may be directed to us at president@lwvsaratoga.org. Thank you.
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I was in meetings all day when the news of the decision broke so I was unaware of what had happened. Exiting my meeting, I noted that my cell phone was on fire with texts messages and voicemails. I couldn't comprehend that what they said and wrote could be true: "It must be some kind of sick joke someone is playing to mess with our heads, like a meme that distorts facts," I thought. After realizing this was indeed a Gilead-type move, my stomach turned inside out, and I went into a fugue.
My phone continued to buzz throughout the day. A few women were crying so hard I couldn't understand what they were saying. The text that affected me the most was from a woman in her 70s who wrote, "Why do they hate us so much?" Imagine living your whole life feeling that the culture you live in "hates" you!
I wanted to reassure my team that this is a minor bump. But it is disheartening, which is the point of the legal challenge. Some volunteers have paused their efforts, but many others have declared this only increases their resolve to beat "the Commanders". In some ways, this roadblock demonstrates the need for this amendment even more! Our LWV is attracting more members and volunteers as a result. Because what the patriarchy is failing to recognize is that marginalized groups will not be silent as they strip us of, and deny us, our legal rights as citizens of this democracy. No matter the outcome of the appeal, we will continue to demand our constitutional rights. And will work to counter the imbalance of privilege and power.
This isn't over. See you in the voting booth!