Dear John,

I've waited a long, long time to personally write you with these words: “At last!  At last!”

That day has finally come!

 

Yesterday, the Virginia House and Senate took the final step in ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in a crossover procedure where each house reviewed the other house's ERA resolution and finalized their votes for ratification.

These decisive votes by the Virginia general assembly make Virginia the 38th and final state necessary to ratify the ERA and to make it a part of the U.S. Constitution.

You have worked so hard, been so patient, persistent and generous in support of the ERA and the Feminist Majority that I simply had to rush this message to you. I want to let you know where things stand and outline next steps we must take to make sure the ERA is finally placed in the U.S. Constitution.

So, first of all: Thank you! Thank you for not losing faith! Thank you for sticking with the fight! And thank you in advance for helping to finish the fight!

Like you, I always knew this day would come. It has never been a question of if, but only a question of when the ERA would be ratified. The fight has been so long because we’ve faced a powerful, entrenched opposition. These are zealots and corporate interests determined to preserve the old order where women are forced to work twice as hard for half as much and paying more for less.

However, victories by feminist candidates in the Virginia state legislative elections this past November flipped the state’s House and Senate from red to

blue. With these victories, the Virginia General Assembly and Senate quickly voted to make Virginia the 38^th and final state needed to ratify the ERA.

Make no mistake. The days of taking advantage of women and their families—our daughters, sisters and granddaughters--is now coming to an end. But, it won’t happen automatically or easily.

Now more than ever we have to gear up for the final fight. 

You see, in 1972 Congress added a timeline to the preamble of the ERA – but not to the actual text of the Amendment that 38 states have now voted to ratify. This means – according to some of the most respected constitutional law scholars in the country – that the timeline is not binding.

 

So, the fight now moves to Congress and the courts to ensure the arbitrary timeline that was set by Congress does not become an excuse to block the amendment.

 

Here at the Feminist Majority we’ve been preparing for months to defend against attempts by the right wing to block the ERA

 

 And at this critical moment in history, we need you more than ever to help finish the fight.

 

I know I can count on you.

 

Specifically, I’m asking you and others in this special group of the most committed ERA and Feminist Majority supporters to make a special donation help us finish the fight and get the ERA in the U.S. Constitution.

Quite frankly, the battles ahead will be difficult.  But, here’s why with your help and support we will prevail.

The ERA has now become a major force in American politics. Although we are entering into a legal fight for to assure the ERA is recognized, we’re not going to rely on lawyers alone. As a sort of insurance for equality we’ve also launched a national ERA campaign to make sure we continue to win even more states to ratify the federal ERA and to also win ratification for state ERAs in state Constitutions.

On top of that, we will target key U.S. Senate campaigns to make certain that in 2020 we elect a majority of pro-ERA Senators.

In short. We’re taking no chances.  We are intent on finally getting the job done of winning full equality in this country.

If you have any doubts about how important and valuable your help and support have been just look the examples of our momentum in just two states.

In Nevada, which became the 36th state to ratify the ERA, we now have a majority of women in both houses of the state legislature. In Virginia, which has ratified the federal ERA amendment, we now have Eileen Filler-Corn (D) as the first woman speaker in its 401 year history of its legislature. Charniele Herring, the House Majority leader, is the first African American woman to be House Majority leader. And the leading sponsor of the successful Virginia ERA legislation is Jennifer Carroll Foy and the leading co-sponsor is Hala Ayala, both women of color and both elected for the first time in 2017.

In the weeks ahead I’ll be sharing more exciting details with you.  But, for now I hope I can count on your support to help make sure we’re as fully prepared as possible.

You and I have fought so long for the ERA and I’m so glad and proud we now have the opportunity to finish this battle and make history together.

As Jennifer Carroll Foy said on the day of the historic ERA vote: "The world is watching...your mothers, your sisters, your daughters, and i want to be unequivovally clear that there is only one way to spell equality: E-R-A."

For equality,

Ellie Smeal

President

Feminist Majority