Advocates will give personal testimonies about experiences of inequality, read experiences shared by others, read excerpts from the book “Equal Means Equal,” and share words of support from around the country.
If Republican delegates who claim to support the ERA remain steadfast, the week will close with the ERA passing by a comfortable margin Thursday or Friday.
While the Republican caucus has widely worked in unison, dissent has been brewing regarding the continued blocking of the ERA by caucus leader Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), whose viewpoint is increasingly out of step with the majority of Virginia voters. 81% of Virginian voters support ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment according to a Wason Center for Public Policy, Christopher Newport University, poll dated December 5, 2018.
On January 21st, Delegate David Yancey (R – Newport News) called for the Speaker to bring the Equal Rights Amendment to the floor, “In this momentous year, let this be our finest hour and let’s send this resolution on to the floor of the House of Delegates in support of the ERA.”
Delegates Roxann Robinson (R-Chesterfield) and Chris Stolle (R-Norfolk) are patrons of SJ 284 and will have to decide whether or not to vote to bring their own legislation to the House floor. Two Republicans in leadership, Delegates Chris Jones (R-Chesapeake) and Tim Hugo (R-Fairfax) have confirmed their support of the ERA to representatives of the League of Women Voters.
Equality advocates in districts represented by supportive Republicans have noted they look forward to knowing whether their delegate truly supports constitutional gender equality or is attempting to feign support during an election year.
Shanise Williams, an advocate in Delegate Chris Jones’ (R-Chesapeake) district said, “My delegate won his seat because he ran unopposed. That will not happen again. I am watching his actions and so far he does not represent our district, which passed ERA resolutions in both Chesapeake and Suffolk. I will run against him if nobody else will do it.”
