Immediate Release
May 9, 2019
Press Contact: [email protected]
Independent Women’s Voice Congratulates Louisiana Senate for Rejecting the Equal Rights Amendment
The ERA Would Harm, Not Help, Women
Washington, DC — Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) congratulates Louisiana Senators Bret Allain, Conrad Appel, Norby Chabert, Dan Claitor, Page Cortez, Jack Donahue, Dale Erdey, Jim Fannin, Ryan Gatti, Bob Hensgens, Sharon Hewitt, Ronnie Johns, Eddie Lambert, Gerald Long, Daniel Martiny, John Milkovich, Fred Mills, Beth Mizell, Barrow Peacock, Neil Riser, Gary Smith, John Smith, Francis Thompson, and Michael Walsworth for taking a stand against the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and voting down the resolution, 9-26.
IWV firmly supports women's equality, but recognizes the ERA moves beyond legal equality, which American women already enjoy, and would throw into jeopardy any policy or program that distinguishes between the sexes. Ultimately, the ERA would backfire on women, increasing litigation and undermining policies and programs designed to support women and mothers.
Even Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg identified more than 800 laws that could be impacted by the ERA. For example, if interpreted broadly by judges, policies and programs designed to help women would be at risk, like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); spousal Social Security benefits; child custody cases; or even federal grants that attempt to increase the number of women in STEM fields.
The ERA would throw into question whether jails or restrooms, dorm rooms, and locker rooms in government buildings (such as public schools) could remain single sex.
"Equal" doesn't mean "same." Ending all recognition of differences between the sexes, would make women more vulnerable to harassment and violence — not less.
The harms are no myth. The ERA may sound good, but it’s not.
For more information about the consequences of the Equal Rights Amendement, refer to our ERA policy paper.
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Independent Women’s Voice fights for women and their loved ones by effectively expanding support among women, independents, and millennials for policy solutions that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedom, choices, and opportunities.