GFWC Georgia will partner with the Equal Rights Amendment Georgia, Corp., a non-partisan and non-profit 501(c)4 organization, to seek the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Georgia. GFWC has made this initiative a part of our international organization’s resolutions and the GFWC membership voted to support this resolution. Other partners supporting this amendment include the League of Women Voters of Georgia, the American Association of University Women of Georgia, and others.
There are three bullet points to be familiar of the Equal Rights Amendment:
Section 1
Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
Section 2
The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of the article.
Section 3
This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
Gail Buckner, Equal Rights Amendment Georgia Corp, presented the following information. Adding the ERA to the Constitution will help women and men to be judged on a fairer playing field when dealing with constitutional questions. This is just as important to men as it is to women. With more men taking a greater role in caring for children and family issues, they need better protections as well. One of the first gender discrimination cases before the US Supreme Court was a man who was being denied his late wife’s survivor benefits.
She added another benefit of adding the ERA to the US Constitution would be better protection for the woman who was forced out of work at UPS when she became pregnant. This company refused to assign her temporarily to another position where she would not have to lift heavy objects. UPS regularly reassigned their male drivers who received a D.U.I. until their suspended driver’s license was reinstated.
Lastly, Buckner shared ideas of how GFWC Georgia could partner with the Equal Rights Amendment Corp. We will authorize the ERA Georgia Corp chapter to list our name as one of the partner organizations on their website and on their handout. This is a win-win for both non-profit organizations. Beyond listing our name in connection with their endeavors, it will be up to each club and each club member to determine how engaged the club or member would like to be. Clubs and members are encouraged to lobby their senators and representatives via email or phone calls asking the officials to support the ERA. If your club can go to the Capitol to lobby, the group will provide GA 38 stickers to wear. If you or your club would like to make a financial donation to the non-profit, the group is selling GA 38 pins for $10, which helps to defray printing and postage costs.
One final state is needed to complete the 38 states needed to ratify the ERA to the US Constitution. We can make history. This is what the women who came before us did and we can do it! Our support can help make Georgia Great as #38.
For more information, Gail Buckner is available by phone at 706-579-2331 or email at
gailbuckner@bellsouth.net
. Gail will be speaking to our leadership and Executive Committee on Saturday, February 23 from 9:00-9:30 at Amicolola State Park.
In Federation Sisterhood,
Tina Daniel
State President 2018-2020
