News Opinons Politics

Ayanna Pressley: Women Still Shackled in 2020; ‘Constitution Is Sexist by its Very Design’

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) spoke on the House floor Wednesday in support of a bill to extend the expired deadline for states to ratify the controversial Equal Rights Amendment, claiming during her speech that women are still in “shackles” and that the “Constitution is sexist by its very design.”

“Today I rise to affirm the humanity and the dignity of all women,” Pressley said. “I rise in strong, unapologetic, righteous support of H.J. Res. 79, which will strike the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment that should already be the law of the land.”


Trump to skip Super Bowl in California, criticizes performers Bad Bunny and Green Day
‘Loyal soldier’: A day on the trail with JD Vance, Trump’s ‘human Swiss Army Knife’
READ IT: Bondi sends letter to Gov Walz warning Minnesota’s immigration policies endanger agents
Ever Wonder Why Even Trump Can’t Get Criminal Dems Arrested? They’re Using the ‘Blue Slip’ Trick to Stay Out of Jail and It Has to End
Trump brags about secret weapon that was key to Maduro capture: ‘The discombobulator’
Trump cites armed suspect, lack of police support following fatal Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis
Pritzker urges ‘unified response’ from Democrat, Republican governors after Border Patrol shoots armed man
Elizabeth Smart reveals her kidnapper tried to abduct her teen cousin as his ‘next wife’
Breaking: Armed Illegal Wanted for Assault Shot By Border Patrol in Minneapolis After Attacking Officer, Riots Follow
Chaos Erupts in Minneapolis as Leftists Riot in the Streets Over the Death of Armed Illegal Criminal Who Attacked Officer
‘Destruction of… Businesses’: Trump Drops Bomb on Canada Over China Trade Deal, Threatens Massive Tariff
Who the Anti-ICE Crowd Is Defending: ‘Monster’ Illegal Hit Third-Grade Girl with Baseball-Sized Stone
‘The View’ Co-Host Whines About Trump Showing Photos of Rapist, Murderer Illegals Because of Their Skin Color
Man shot and killed in incident involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis
Millions go without power as Russia launches barrage at Ukraine during peace talks


“Women are strong, hard-working, bright, and resilient. We are the backbones of our families, our communities, and our democracy,” Pressley said. “We do not live in checked boxes. We live in an intersectionality of lived experiences and identities.”

See also  More than a million veterans left without primary care providers because of VA staffing losses, watchdog warns

“Our issues are everyone’s issues because our destinies are all tied,” Pressley said. “Tomorrow’s vote on H.J. Res. 79 is a vote for the preservation of our collective humanity.”

She went on to say in her remarks that women are paid less than men and that this is especially true for minority women. And that women have historically and still do today face discrimination that supporters say the Equal Rights Amendment would fix.

“In addition to pay discrimination, we face pregnancy discrimination — discrimination in the criminal legal system, sexual and domestic violence, and inadequate healthcare access,” Pressley said.


Trump to skip Super Bowl in California, criticizes performers Bad Bunny and Green Day
‘Loyal soldier’: A day on the trail with JD Vance, Trump’s ‘human Swiss Army Knife’
READ IT: Bondi sends letter to Gov Walz warning Minnesota’s immigration policies endanger agents
Ever Wonder Why Even Trump Can’t Get Criminal Dems Arrested? They’re Using the ‘Blue Slip’ Trick to Stay Out of Jail and It Has to End
Trump brags about secret weapon that was key to Maduro capture: ‘The discombobulator’
Trump cites armed suspect, lack of police support following fatal Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis
Pritzker urges ‘unified response’ from Democrat, Republican governors after Border Patrol shoots armed man
Elizabeth Smart reveals her kidnapper tried to abduct her teen cousin as his ‘next wife’
Breaking: Armed Illegal Wanted for Assault Shot By Border Patrol in Minneapolis After Attacking Officer, Riots Follow
Chaos Erupts in Minneapolis as Leftists Riot in the Streets Over the Death of Armed Illegal Criminal Who Attacked Officer
‘Destruction of… Businesses’: Trump Drops Bomb on Canada Over China Trade Deal, Threatens Massive Tariff
Who the Anti-ICE Crowd Is Defending: ‘Monster’ Illegal Hit Third-Grade Girl with Baseball-Sized Stone
‘The View’ Co-Host Whines About Trump Showing Photos of Rapist, Murderer Illegals Because of Their Skin Color
Man shot and killed in incident involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis
Millions go without power as Russia launches barrage at Ukraine during peace talks

“But this isn’t an accident,” Pressley continued. “The American Constitution is sexist by its very design.”

See also  Trump brags about secret weapon that was key to Maduro capture: ‘The discombobulator’

“This country’s laws have historically treated [women] like second-class citizens, depriving us of the right to vote, enter most jobs, and to own property,” Pressley said. “While some of those injustices may cease to exist, we still face tremendous barriers to our full participation in society.”

“With tomorrow’s vote we have an opportunity to right this country’s wrong,” Pressley said.

Pro-life conservatives, including the late Phyllis Schlafly whose efforts effectively killed the Equal Rights Amendment, oppose it because it is not just about women’s equality but codifying abortion on demand:

National Right to Life is strongly opposed to adding the 1972 ERA language to the U.S. Constitution, because it would provide a powerful legal weapon with which to challenge virtually any limits on abortion, and to require unlimited government funding of abortion.

On Thursday, the House passed the bill Pressley supported on a 232–183 vote.

“We are on the brink of history, and no deadline should stand in the way,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said.

The bill is expected to face challenges both constitutionally and from conservative lawmakers.

Story cited here.

Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter