MANHATTAN, NY — Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) Legislative Liaison, former NCAA swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York resident Paula Scanlan joined a press conference on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan to tell New Yorkers to say no to the dangerous and discriminatory Proposal 1 constitutional amendment that will appear on New York ballots on November 5th. If passed, this amendment would be permanently enshrined in the New York constitution—giving males the constitutional right to compete on girls’ sports teams.
Proposal 1 requires that all New Yorkers be treated according to their “gender identity” and “gender expression,” cementing a basis for men to self-identify into women’s spaces, including sports. Prop 1 would effectively erase women’s sports and destroy New York women’s rights to safety, privacy, and equal athletic opportunity to compete and earn scholarships.
Scanlan was joined by New York civil and constitutional rights attorney Bobbie Anne Cox, activist and member of the Community Education Council in Manhattan’s District 2 Maud Maron, and Chinese American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York Founding President and fellow at Manhattan Institute Wai Wah Chin at the press conference to sound the alarm on the dangers of this New York proposed amendment.
Previously, Independent Women’s Network spearheaded sending over 3,000 letters to Mayor Eric Adams, urging him to reinstate Maron to her elected school board seat after she was abruptly banished from her position. Maron has since been restored to her seat and continues to be a vocal advocate for women’s rights.
“We have a proposal on the ballot this November that is going to do exactly what I experienced to thousands of women in New York City. It is the most anti-woman piece of legislation that I’ve seen come through, and it is going to eradicate women’s rights in my home state of New York. It is heartbreaking to see this. I can’t imagine having any more female athletes experience what I went through: losing opportunities to compete in sports, being forced to undress with men in locker rooms. This is a reality that I experienced that will become law here in New York,” Scanlan said at the press conference.
Background:
- Independent Women’s Law Center Senior Legal Advisor Beth Parlato penned an op-ed in The New York Sun on why Prop 1 is anti-woman and unconstitutional.
- IWV State Affairs Manager Makenna McCoy wrote an op-ed in the New York Daily News on how Prop 1 would also harm existing rights for senior citizens.
- IWV Senior Policy Analyst and New York resident Inez Stepman previously spoke at a press conference to sound the alarm on New York’s dangerous Prop 1 measure.
- IWV’s sister organization, Independent Women’s Forum, and Independent Women’s Law Center earlier filed an official comment to the New York State Board of Elections urging clear and precise ballot language for Prop 1.
- IWV’s grassroots arm, Independent Women’s Network, garnered signatures on a petition to say no to New York’s Prop 1.
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