Washington, D.C. – On January 10, 2025, advocates for constitutional gender equality staged a bold demonstration outside the National Archives, resulting in the detention of over 30 individuals, including a journalist, and the arrest of seven protesters. Among those arrested were local activist, Adam Eidinger, Mia Bronner and Dave Anderson.
Organized by EQUAL MEANS EQUAL (EME) and VoteEquality, the action represented a high-stakes effort to pressure President Joe Biden to publish the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution before leaving office.
The first protesters, dressed as work crew members and carrying ladders, replaced an existing Archives banner with one that displayed a clear demand framing President Biden’s photograph: “Publish the ERA. Hero or Zero.” The other two banners were confiscated by the police.
A subsequent DUNE-themed performance, led by actress, director, and activist Kamala Lopez, featured 28 women dressed in striking DUNE Sisterhood costumes to underscore the urgency of the cause.
Media was removed from the location and all visibility of the action was eliminated. While most detainees were released, seven activists remained in custody.
Since November, activists from across the United States had traveled to Washington, D.C., to demand the ERA’s publication. The January 10 protest marked the final planned demonstration during President Biden’s presidency, capping months of intensive grassroots advocacy.
Protesters’ Demands
- For President Biden to instruct the Archivist to immediately publish the ERA as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
- Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Relevant Quotes on the ERA
“The time for delay is over,” said Kamala Lopez, President of EQUAL MEANS EQUAL. “We’re here to demand that President Biden publish the ERA immediately. He has the power and the duty to do so; there are only nine days left for him to act. Equality can wait no longer.
“Advocates deserve an answer from the Biden Administration as to why the last Archivist was not allowed to publish, when we heard he was planning to do so in the Spring of 2021,” said Kati Hornung, Executive Director of VoteEquality. “Adding basic human rights, which would update our Constitution to match all other industrialized nations, is the bare minimum of respect American citizens deserve from their government.”
“I was a strong advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment… My greatest disappointment was the failure to achieve ratification of the ERA. I am glad there is a renewed campaign to pass the ERA called ‘EQUAL MEANS EQUAL.’ I hope it succeeds this time around.” – March 8, 2016
“We should be passing the ERA. There’s a consensus for it.” –December 2024 interview with Meidas Touch Network
Outcome
This event served as a defining moment in the long-running campaign for constitutional gender equality. Whether it will compel President Biden to act and publish the ERA remains uncertain, but it underscored the activists’ message: equality cannot wait.
Attached please find a link to Ford Fisher’s live YouTube stream on News2Share of the events: https://www.youtube.com/live/GESInJhsQMY
