Adopted by the American Humanist Association Board of Directors

The American Humanist Association reaffirms its long-standing support of equal rights and equal pay for women as previously expressed in Resolution supporting the Equal Rights Amendment in 1975 and 1982, a Resolution on Equal Pay for Women in 1963, and the related Resolution supporting a World Bill of Rights for Women in 1981.

WHEREAS Women make up more than half the population of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS Women’s equality of rights under the law has not been protected by the Constitution throughout the two hundred twenty-five years since it was adopted by this country, a country which prides itself on being the world’s greatest democracy; and

WHEREAS The American Humanist Association holds and proclaims as a value the belief in gender equality in all aspects of society; and

WHEREAS The American Humanist Association has actively supported American women in their ongoing struggle for constitutional equality; and

WHEREAS Women’s hard-won rights are now being attacked, revoked, ignored or not enforced because those rights are not protected by the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS Disrespect for women makes a mockery of democracy and violates humanists’ concern for the best possible life on earth for all human beings; and

WHEREAS the Equal Rights Amendment, stating simply that, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the united States or by any State on account of sex,” was originally introduced in 1923 and was finally passed by an almost unanimous vote of Congress in March, 1972, fifty years after it was first introduced and has since been approved by 35 of the 38 States needed for ratification; and

WHEREAS The Equal Rights Amendment will become a Constitutional Amendment if just three of the remaining 15 state legislatures vote for ratification; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that the American Humanist Association hereby reaffirms its dedication to the passage, ratification and implementation of the Equal Rights Amendment so that women in this country will at last be guaranteed equality of rights under the law that shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the American Humanist Association supports the Three-State Strategy to seek the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment through state legislatures; and