Efforts to Incorporate Equal Rights Amendment into Arizona’s Constitution Gain Momentum
In Arizona, advocates for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) are once again pushing to embed its principles into the state constitution, facing potential challenges from a Republican-dominated legislature. National Council of Jewish Women president Civia Tamarkin, a veteran supporter of the ERA, remarked on the strategic opposition from Republicans, stating they have effectively aligned with the religious right and conservative values.
Opponents argue that sufficient laws already exist to ensure equal protection, referencing the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. However, advocates like Arizona state Rep. Quantá Crews insist that existing laws are insufficient. Crews stated, “We’re not standing here asking for these bills to be heard and to be moved through the legislative process because we think it’s just a cute idea. We have worked hard for this.”
Originally proposed in 1972, the ERA required ratification by 38 states within seven years to be added to the U.S. Constitution. The deadline was later extended by three years, yet still fell short by three states.
“We never anticipated the onslaught that we faced,” Tamarkin explained. “We didn’t take the opposition as seriously because we thought we had succeeded, we thought everything was the law of the land.”
Recently, Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia have successfully incorporated the ERA into their state constitutions. The renewed vigor for the amendment is partly due to the rise in women’s activism, including events like the Women’s March on Washington and the Me Too movement, along with an increase in women holding state and federal offices, as observed by the Brennan Center for Justice.
Arizona state Sen. Lauren Kuby commented on the movement’s growth, saying, “The ERA does not create special rights. It affirms equal rights for all.”
