Response to National Archives “Statement on the Equal Rights Amendment Ratification Process”
December 17, 2024
ERA Coalition Statement on Draft SCOTUS Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade
Press Releases
May 03, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2022
Contact: cwest@eracoalition.org
Washington, DC –– Following media reports of a draft United States Supreme Court decision to overturn the landmark Roe. v Wade ruling, ERA Coalition and Fund for Women’s Equality President and CEO Carol Jenkins released the following statement:
“Right now Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land. Abortion is legal. The potential for a full overturning of Roe would irreparably damage the civil rights of all. The concept of the right to privacy stems from Roe and its legacy. LGTBQ rights flow from that same legacy. All of this could be washed away. But we want to clearly state that there will not be equality in America until all people have full health care, and that includes the most fundamental right of agency over our bodies and full reproductive rights.
"Disturbing reports indicate the Supreme Court is preparing to upend established precedent and mount one of the most damaging assaults on our constitutional rights in nearly 50 years. It is not hyperbole to say we could be headed back to the days when anti-sodomy laws regain legal status.
"The need for the Equal Rights Amendment has never been clearer, and it is one of the few ways we can protect hard fought victories for all our rights from being overturned.
"We support the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify Roe and which, like the ERA, was passed by the House and now, like the ERA, has yet to make it through the Senate. We must remove the filibuster which gives control of the majority to a few Senators, who are in the minority.
"And we fully support our Coalition partners who work daily to ensure reproductive rights and justice for the women of this country. Women deserve consideration and equal rights; this Supreme Court draft gives us neither."
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The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 260 organizations across the country, the Coalition provides education and advocacy on Constitutional Equality.
While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.