DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and DNC Women’s Caucus Chair Lottie Shackelford issued the following statement marking the centennial of the original unveiling of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA):

“One hundred years ago, a group of trailblazing women unveiled an amendment to the Constitution to enshrine the principle of gender equality into law. This amendment – which would become known as the Equal Rights Amendment – was a bold and historic declaration of America’s commitment to ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and respect. While the ERA’s journey has been long, we must not overlook the lasting impact it has had on our society.

“Thanks to women like Martha Griffiths, Shirley Chisholm, and Vice President Kamala Harris who have carried the torch for this cause, we have made great strides in the march towards gender equality in the last hundred years. However, the centennial of the amendment’s original unveiling comes as state legislatures all across the country are rolling back women’s rights and for the first time in generations, women born today will have fewer rights than their parents. 

“For this reason, Democrats are fighting for more freedoms and more rights for all Americans, and we will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle the systemic barriers that stand in the way of equal justice under the law for everyone in our country. From calling on Congress to recognize the ERA to taking action to make it easier for women to participate in the workforce by lowering child care costs, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made combating gender inequality a cornerstone of their first term in office – and we will continue to fight until everyone in our country is treated equally under the law.”