Since Virginia ratified the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) on January 15, 2020 — becoming the 38th and final state needed to ratify the constitutional amendment — there has been a resurgence in enthusiasm among activist groups to finish the job that was started more than 100 years ago: publishing the ERA in the Constitution once and for all. A joint resolution was introduced in January 2023 by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) to remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification and recognize the amendment as part of the Constitution. ERA activists are now pressuring members of Congress to sign onto the discharge petition that would force this resolution to a vote on the House floor. Two key organizations have been crucial in leading this charge alongside the Feminist Majority Foundation: Sign4ERA and the ERA Coalition.
Sign4ERA, a grassroots organization gathering signatures in support of the ERA, is one advocacy group leading the modern ERA movement. They hold rallies, advocate at conferences, press Congress to certify the ERA, and empower the next generation of feminists. Recently, Sign4ERA has established a new strategy: the “ERA Bus.” The bright green bus with phrases such as “ERA NOW” and “TAKE ACTION NOW” is hard to miss, touring key districts to mobilize support for the ERA, gain more signatures, and above all, press lawmakers and politicians for their support. Led by Mary Ann Gorman and former New York Representative Carolyn Maloney, the ERA Bus has been spotted at universities, campaign events, rallies, and in front of critical politicians’ offices. The Sign4ERA petition has now reached over 100,000 signatures.
The ERA bus stopped by Cornell and two of Feminist Majority’s Campus Organizers joined the efforts!
The ERA Coalition researches and advocates for the ERA and educates the public on the importance of the ERA in today’s world. The ERA Coalition has been active in gathering support for petitions to the President, Attorney General, and Congress to certify the ERA. They have also organized town halls, rallies, and participated in conferences, including the Feminist Majority’s National Young Feminist Leadership Conference. Moreover, in early-July, the ERA Coalition began its Elect Equality Campaign to educate voters on congressional candidates’ positions on the ERA and women’s issues for the upcoming 2024 election. Within this campaign, candidates can receive different levels of ERA certification. If candidates’ voting and interview records show support for the ERA, they receive a “check” for their support. However, candidates who “demonstrate a commitment to ensuring substantive gender equality” through voting, interview, and statement records, receive the title “ERA Certified.” You can find the full list of candidates here. Through this campaign, they hope to elect candidates with strong histories of supporting gender equality and freedom that will vote to finally publish the ERA in the Constitution.
The ERA movement has been fighting for women’s equality since Alice Paul drafted the amendment in the 1920s, but the movement today has evolved to also include those who have been marginalized in the past, now amplifying their voices and placing them at the forefront of this fight. Zakiya Thomas, the President and CEO of the ERA Coalition distinguishes the modern ERA movement to representing the country as a whole, with Black women taking the lead. “This isn’t a white woman’s issue alone. This is about everyone having the equality that they are owed under the Constitution,” Thomas said. With Black women like Zakiya Thomas, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley spearheading the effort, and the inclusion of diverse groups such as LGBTQ+ communities, the ERA movement continues to grow and we are closer than ever to recognizing the ERA as the 28th Amendment.
