A coalition of women veterans organizations and women’s rights organizations has formally asked the United States Supreme Court to ensure that women’s constitutional equality claims are heard as Selective Service and sex-discrimination cases move toward Supreme Court review.
On May 29, 2026, National Women Veterans United (NWVU), the International Association of Military Women of Color (IAMWOC), the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), and numerous additional organizations filed an amicus curiae brief in National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System, now pending before the United States Supreme Court.
The brief urges the Court to recognize EQUAL MEANS EQUAL v. Trump as parallel litigation and to ensure that women’s constitutional interests are represented if the Court agrees to hear challenges involving the Military Selective Service Act.
WHY THIS FILING MATTERS
For several years, public discussion surrounding Selective Service litigation has largely focused on whether men are treated unfairly because only men are required to register for the draft.
The organizations participating in this filing believe there is another question that deserves equal attention:
If women are expected to serve, fight, and die alongside men, should women continue to be denied full constitutional equality?
The brief argues that women’s interests are not adequately represented in the current litigation landscape and that EQUAL MEANS EQUAL v. Trump is uniquely positioned to present the constitutional arguments that directly affect women.
Unlike the men’s-rights cases currently moving through the courts, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL v. Trump raises the broader issue of women’s constitutional status and asks whether sex-based classifications should continue to receive weaker constitutional protection than other forms of discrimination.
The filing urges the Supreme Court to ensure that women’s constitutional equality claims are not sidelined as these issues move toward possible review.
A COALITION OF WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS
The amicus filing was led by National Women Veterans United, the International Association of Military Women of Color, and the National Women’s Political Caucus, with support from numerous additional organizations representing veterans, women’s rights advocates, medical professionals, civil rights advocates, and community organizations across the country.
The filing reflects months of work by attorney Wendy Murphy, EME advocate and ERA Publication Task Force Co-Chair Eileen Murphy, M.D., women veterans leaders, partner organizations, and supporters committed to ensuring that women’s constitutional equality claims are heard.
The coalition includes women who have served in the military, women veterans organizations, and advocates who believe that women deserve a direct voice in any litigation that could shape the future of constitutional sex equality in the United States.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The Supreme Court is currently considering whether to review National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System. Another related matter, Valame v. Trump, is also pending before the Court.
Whether the Court grants review remains unknown.
What is now clear is that women veterans and women’s rights organizations have formally asked the Supreme Court not to determine the future of sex-equality law without hearing the strongest constitutional arguments on behalf of women.
The filing comes just weeks before Women Veterans Day events being organized in Chicago on June 12, 2026, where veterans, advocates, and constitutional equality supporters will gather to discuss the future of women’s constitutional rights and the ongoing litigation surrounding sex equality and military service.
SUPPORT THIS WORK
Bringing women’s constitutional equality claims before the Supreme Court required months of legal work, coordination among national organizations, and resources that are significant for a small nonprofit organization.
If you would like to support EQUAL MEANS EQUAL’s ongoing litigation, educational efforts, and constitutional equality advocacy, please consider making a contribution:
To learn more about EQUAL MEANS EQUAL v. Trump and access related legal filings, visit our Legal Actions page.
