Women Veterans Speak: Service, Sacrifice, Recognition & Equality | Women Veterans Day Chicago 2026
On Women Veterans Day 2026, women veterans from multiple generations of military service came together in Chicago to share their experiences, discuss the challenges women continue to face during and after military service, and reflect on the ongoing fight for recognition, equality, and support.
The discussion explores military service, leadership, military sexual trauma, racism, gender bias, VA experiences, veteran visibility, and the importance of ensuring that women's contributions to national service are recognized and respected.
Featured as part of the Women Veterans Day Chicago program organized by EQUAL MEANS EQUAL and partner organizations.
Learn more about EQUAL MEANS EQUAL:
https://www.equalmeansequal.org
Read EQUAL MEANS EQUAL's constitutional equality work on Substack:
https://equalmeansequal.substack.com
Watch the full Women Veterans Day Chicago Webinar:
https://youtu.be/so0bJ8inL5c
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Equal Obligation. Unequal Protection. | Leah Gould on Women's Constitutional Equality
Women are increasingly being asked to accept the same obligations of citizenship as men—including military service and potentially the draft.
Yet discrimination against women continues to receive less constitutional protection than discrimination based on race.
In these remarks delivered at the Women Veterans Day Constitutional Equality Event in Chicago, attorney and former U.S. Navy pilot Leah Gould examines one of the most important constitutional questions facing the nation today:
If women can be required to serve, fight, and die for their country, why does the Constitution continue to treat discrimination against women differently?
Drawing on her experience as both a military officer and constitutional advocate, Gould explains the legal distinction between strict scrutiny and intermediate scrutiny, the continuing impact of Rostker v. Goldberg, and why women are increasingly being asked to accept equal obligation under conditions of unequal protection.
Leah Gould serves as Assistant Dean of Public Interest at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and is a volunteer attorney with EQUAL MEANS EQUAL.
This presentation was recorded at the Women Veterans Day Constitutional Equality Event in Chicago on June 12, 2026.
ABOUT EQUAL MEANS EQUAL
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL is a national movement dedicated to securing full constitutional equality for women under the law.
Through litigation, education, advocacy, and public engagement, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL works to ensure that the promise of equality is not merely stated, but enforced.
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Pat Spearman: Equal Sacrifice Must Mean Equal Rights | Women Veterans Day 2026
Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, former President Pro Tempore of the Nevada State Senate, and ERA leader Pat Spearman, who helped lead Nevada's historic ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in 2017 speaks on military service, constitutional equality, and the growing contradiction at the heart of American law.
Women have served, fought, and died in defense of the United States for generations. Yet discrimination against women continues to receive less constitutional protection than discrimination based on race.
In this powerful address delivered during Women Veterans Day 2026, Spearman discusses military service, sacrifice, equality, and why the question of women's constitutional status can no longer be avoided.
This presentation was part of a national Women Veterans Day program organized by EQUAL MEANS EQUAL and coalition partners including women veterans, attorneys, advocates, and community leaders working to advance constitutional equality.
WATCH NEXT:
▶ Women Veterans Day 2026 Full Program
https://youtu.be/so0bJ8inL5c
READ:
▶ EQUAL OBLIGATION. UNEQUAL PROTECTION.
https://equalmeansequalupdates.substack.com
https://open.substack.com/pub/equalmeansequalupdates/p/equal-obligation-unequal-protection
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Women Veterans Day 2026: Equal Sacrifice Must Mean Equal Rights
On Women Veterans Day 2026, women veterans, military leaders, attorneys, and constitutional equality advocates gathered in Chicago to discuss military service, constitutional equality, and the ongoing fight for full legal recognition of women's rights under the United States Constitution.
Featured speakers include:
• Pat Spearman, Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Former Nevada State Senator, Women Veterans Advocate, and Leader of Nevada’s Historic ERA Ratification Effort
• Leah Gould, Former U.S. Navy Pilot, Attorney for EQUAL MEANS EQUAL, and Assistant Dean of Public Interest, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
• Rochelle Crump, Founder and Executive Director, National Women Veterans United
• Dr. Pamela Wilson, Retired U.S. Army Religious Affairs Specialist Sergeant Major and President of the International Association of Military Women of Color
• Dr. Renee Dickerson, Ph.D., LCPC, CADC, Founder and Executive Director of Victory Place
This event was presented in partnership with EQUAL MEANS EQUAL, National Women Veterans United (NWVU), the International Association of Military Women of Color (IAMWOC), Victory Place and allied organizations committed to advancing constitutional equality.
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL is currently engaged in federal litigation challenging sex-based discrimination and advocating for enforcement of constitutional equality protections for women.
This event took place as multiple constitutional equality and Selective Service cases continue moving through the federal courts and toward potential Supreme Court review.
The discussion reflects the views of the speakers and participating organizations and is intended to advance public understanding of women's constitutional equality and military service issues.
Learn more:
www.equalmeansequal.org
Support our work:
https://www.equalmeansequal.org/donate
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Listen to Wendy Murphy On Joy of Resistance WBAI
Fran Luck interviews EME attorney Wendy Murphy discussing the importance of her case Equal Means Equal v. Donald Trump which seeks to compel the government to recognize women's equality under the ERA and/or the 14th amendment. You can listen to oral arguments in the case on December 16th of 2025 in Massachusetts Federal Court.
You must register to listen in to the oral arguments two days before the hearing here:
https://forms.mad.uscourts.gov/courtlist.html
→ select Dec 16 / Judge William G. Young
→ find Equal Means Equal v. Donald Trump
→ register → log in at 2 PM ET to listen live.
Thank you for your interest and support. Please follow EQUAL MEANS EQUAL on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/equalmeansequal/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/equalmeansequalmovie/) for regular updates.
Update Regarding EME Lawsuit -- Boston September 16th 2025
Join Natalie White and Kamala Lopez as they talk to EME attorney Wendy Murphy about the important lawsuit EQUAL MEANS EQUAL v Donald Trump which will be presented in Federal Court on September 25th, 2025
EME v Trump Amicus Brief Webinar July 30th, 2025
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL's attorney Wendy Murphy filed another federal lawsuit recently in an effort to validate the ERA. The case technically involves a law that excludes women from the military draft, but we did not file because of the draft. We filed because a male had already filed a similar case in California, arguing that excluding women from the draft violates men’s rights under the ERA, and we were advised that his case is headed for the Supreme Court.
We are gravely concerned about Valame’s case because while he argues that the ERA is valid, he does NOT argue that the ERA requires strict scrutiny even though the law is clear that it does. He isn’t even asking for it.
The ERA protects ALL equally and is critical to the health of our democracy. Women alone were excluded from the Constitution many years ago, thus necessitating the ERA. But many other categories of people have since been described by the courts as falling under the meaning of the word “sex.” Sex is the operative word and it is a word of unity. Establishing full equality for women will elevate all people to full equality, where we all belong.
We have waited long enough for basic legal equality.
Read the lawsuit: https://equalmeansequal.org/?portfolio=equal-means-equal-v-donald-j-trump
Read the Opposition to Motion to Dismiss: https://equalmeansequal.org/?portfolio=equal-means-equal-v-donald-j-trump-2
READ AND SIGN ONTO THE AMICUS BRIEF:
https://equalmeansequal.org/?portfolio=equal-means-equal-v-donald-j-trump-3
The amicus brief will be filed on August 1st, 2025. Sign on will close at the end of business day, July 31st, 2025.
Why are Women STILL not Equal Citizens in the USA?
Why are Women STILL not Equal Citizens in the USA?
Perspectives & Strategies for Implementation of the ERA: Forum with Feminists In Struggle (FIST), EQUAL MEANS EQUAL & the ERA Publication Task Force
Join EME President Kamala Lopez, Impact Litigator Wendy Murphy and ERA Task Force Founder Jean Sweeney in an important conversation about the future of women's rights today.
The Importance of Strict Scrutiny for Women's Rights & the ERA
Attorney and Impact Litigator Wendy Murphy explains the importance of strict scrutiny for women and the reasons behind our new lawsuit: EQUAL MEANS EQUAL v. Donald J. Trump.