Raleigh — Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman wrote the Equal Rights Amendment a century ago: “Equal rights, under the law, shall not be denied or abridged, by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
The requisite 38 states have ratified the ERA but you will not find North Carolina on that list.
At 10 a.m. on March 8, International Women’s Day, Rep. Julie von Haefen and Sen. Natalie Murdock will hold a press conference announcing two new bills that will put North Carolina firmly on record as supporters of equal rights under the law for all its citizens. The press conference will be held at the N.C. General Assembly, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh.
Tens of millions of Americans have assumed that the land of “liberty and justice for all” naturally included women. It does not.
A brand-new Meredith Poll of North Carolinians shows the continuing and overwhelming support for equal protection under the law regardless of sex. The results will be discussed during Wednesday’s press conference where Meredith Poll Director David McLennan will answer questions.
“The Equal Rights Amendment will create a more equitable state and country for all people,” said Murdock. “Our country is founded on the principles of fair treatment and equal justice. Yet, our Constitution does not currently reflect this sentiment. I am glad to sponsor this legislation here in North Carolina to provide equal opportunity for millions of women across our great state.”
“North Carolina has an opportunity to play a part in affirming, once and for all, that women should be guaranteed equal rights regardless of sex,” said von Haefen. “Ratifying the ERA is a chance for North Carolina to make amends for being almost the very last state to ratify the 19th Amendment. Even though 38 states have already ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, it is still important for North Carolina to join the effort to amend the Constitution. We owe it to the women of our state to continue this fight, even after 100 years, so that they can enjoy the same rights and protections as men. We cannot let another generation of women go through life without the knowledge that our country’s constitution guarantees them equal rights.”
Jimmie Cochran Pratt, co-president of the ERA-NC Alliance, said, “If working women in North Carolina were paid comparably to men, the average earnings increase for women would be $6,628, equivalent to a raise of 19 percent. The increase would reduce the poverty rate among working women by more than half while impacting the income of the entire family and North Carolina’s overall economy, a reason for both parties to support ERA.”
“175 years have passed since Lucretia Mott first proposed an Equal Rights Amendment and a full century since it was introduced in Congress,” said Teri Walley, co-president of the ERA- NC Alliance. “Stop talking about equal rights for women. Make. Them. Happen. Lawmakers, ratify the ERA now.”
The ERA-NC Alliance is a statewide North Carolina 501(c)(4) organization that advocates for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment by North Carolina and works to establish the ERA as the 28th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Alliance is composed of respected women’s organizations including the N.C. Association of Women Attorneys, the National Organization for Women NC, the American Association of University Women NC and the North Carolina League of Women Voters.
