To the editor:

I was sitting next to a nice woman, talking over apple cobbler. She asked me “Do you know what the wording is for the NY State Equal Rights Amendment? I’m being told that schools can have kids make gender change surgery without parental consent.”

She said “I asked to see the wording of the ERA and was told it had lots of legal words.” I replied “Let’s look it up and see what the ERA says.”

Here’s what we read. The Equal Rights Amendment wording (Proposition One on the back of the ballot) adds new language to the New York State Constitution:

a. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed [or], religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy, be subjected to any discrimination in [his or her] their civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state, pursuant to law.

b. Nothing in this section shall invalidate or prevent the adoption of any law, regulation, program, or practice that is designed to prevent or dismantle discrimination on the basis of a characteristic listed in this section, nor shall any characteristic listed in this section be interpreted to interfere with, limit, or deny the civil rights of any person based upon any other characteristic identified in this section.

(Explanation: Matter in bold is new; matter in brackets is old law to be omitted.)

And that is the ERA.

Right now, New York’s State Constitution does not clearly protect all New Yorkers, specifically: pregnant New Yorkers, women, those with disabilities, LGBTQIA-plus people, older adults, and people from different countries and cultures. These are our friends and family who face discrimination. Discrimination not only hurts individuals but weighs our community down.

The New York State Equal Rights Amendment adds to the existing constitutional protections for race and religion, creating explicit protections for people who experience discrimination. It does not undermine parental rights regarding the care of their children. It is not against families, it is pro family. Whether that family is a mother and father and two kids, or a single mom with adopted kids, or other family combinations. People with disabilities need doors they can fit through, barriers removed for access. Some people are born with different gender identities. This is who they are. They are good, carrying people, just like you.

And the ERA does not take your children away from you. Contrary to the fear-mongering misinformation being spread by the opponents, schools will NOT be getting minor children sex change surgery without their parents permission.

My new friend said “I can vote YES for ERA.” I agree.

The ERA is on the back side of the ballot.

Let’s all vote YES for the ERA!

Lindy Ellis

Saranac Lake