URGENT UPDATE: EME FILES INTERVENTION in 2nd TEXAS CASE – Cox v Texas
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL along with the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Trust and the Women’s and Children’s Advocacy Project at New England Law | Boston filed a brief today with the Texas Supreme Court on behalf of Kate Cox and all Women in Texas.
Ms. Cox is in urgent need of an abortion but Texas officials blocked a judge’s ruling allowing the abortion to proceed. Our brief asserts the strongest possible legal arguments on behalf of women.
We were compelled to file because, yet again, the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents Ms. Cox, asked for only meager second/class legal protections under the Texas Constitution. Our brief urges the court to apply the most rigorous legal standards that afford Ms. Cox and all Women in Texas maximum legal protections for their rights to life and health, including abortion rights.
Our lawyer, Wendy Murphy, wrote the brief and filed it with the help of her Texas colleague and civil rights attorney Jason Smith.
Please take the time to read our brief and share it widely. This case involves profoundly important rights for half the population in Texas. The legal issues are not well understood but need to be. Texas is one of many states where abortion-related lawsuits are pending. We intend to file similar briefs in all of them.
And now… back to our regular newsletter
Season’s Greetings Equality Warriors!
We come bearing good tidings, the ERA’s centennial year has truly been a banner one; and we are inches away from achieving the dream of constitutional equality.
What have we achieved this year? A LOT.
- The ERA had its first Senate hearing in 40 years
- The ERA caucus was formed and in mere months has grown to be the 5th largest caucus in Congress.
- We gathered in Seneca Falls, bringing seasoned veterans of the movement together with young leaders, on the very spot where it was written, to lay the plan for finishing the job.
- Just this past week a letter, signed by 84 organizations, including NOW, AAUW, the American Constitution Society, and over a dozen medical organizations, was presented to the Biden administration urging the immediate publication of the Equal Rights amendment;
- The United Nations requested that that Federal government of the United States appropriately adopt the Equal Rights Amendment and stop violating the civil and human rights of the majority of its population – women and girls.
- Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson made a public pledge to publish the ERA on day one of her administration.
- Dozens of cities have issued proclamations declaring the ERA as ratified, verified, and fully enforceable.
- We are fighting back in Texas in two separate lawsuits, finally demanding strict scrutiny, as we are entitled and use of the ERA (State and Federal) to protect women’s reproductive rights.
- Public awareness is growing and support for the ERA is too. People are starting to understand that adoption of ERA is a bulwark against increasing encroachments on the population’s civil liberties and rights.
December 13th marks exactly 100 years since the Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced to Congress, and while it is clear the American people want the 28th Amendment, it is equally clear our politicians need more encouragement. So we are going to give them some, in person, right before they head off to their comfy homes for winter break. 
On Wednesday December 13th we will be marching, along with other member organizations of the ERA Coalition, from the Whitehouse, to the Department of Justice, to the National Archives, and on to the Capitol to push for ERA publication from the President. All of these entities are playing a part in holding our rights hostage and need to do the right thing and stop passing the buck. The time for equality is NOW.
We hope you can join or support our team members making the trip to Washington for this historic event. Get your tickets by clicking the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
Everyone may not be able to make it to the Capitol, but you can still help us send a message. Here is how you can help:
- On December 13 between 11:30am -12:30 pm EST text “PUBLISH THE ERA NOW” to (302)404-0880. It takes less than 30 seconds.
- Become a card carrying Equality Warrior by joining EQUAL MEANS EQUAL and becoming a member today. Numbers matter, and for starting a dime a day you can officially join the fight for equality.
- Send an ERA Holiday card to your representative, the president, or both! Equality has no party, and in the spirit of giving we want to encourage our lawmakers to give all people equal rights, standing, and protection in the Constitution. Order your digital download or physical cards today.
- Donate Alice Bucks. Whenever you receive a letter from a politician asking for a donation, don’t just throw it away send it back with one of our Alice Paul $100 bills. Why? Because every time you do it costs them time and money; not just the postage fee on that prepaid envelope, but the staff to open it, because there is absolutely no way to tell the difference between real donations and Alice dollars. Let’s see how they like being fooled for once. You can print them for free in our “Party Printables” section.
This is the home stretch of the ERA Centennial,
our last chance to get it done
before the amendment turns 101.
It is also the beginning of a critical election season, and it is more than equality on the line. Publishing the Equal Rights Amendment would encourage voter turnout in numbers we have not seen in decades, and ensure our democracy has a chance to stand, heal, and thrive once again.
Look how far we have come in a year; let’s see what we can do in these last two weeks! We will not stop until “done’o’clock” and never again — because Equal MEANS Equal!
Thank you for being willing to stand up, alongside us, and push for equality until the job is done.
With love and gratitude,
Kamala, Natalie, Wendy, Alice, Tom, Roberto, Rob, Joel, Shannon, and the entire EME team
