Stop Woke “Equal Rights Amendment” (LD 260) to the Maine Constitution

Why it Matters

Members of the Maine Legislature are seeking to amend the state constitution to include an “Equal Rights Amendment” that would be used to enshrine extremist policies into state law.

Legislative Document No. 260 (LD 260) would propose a state constitutional amendment — which voters would either approve or reject — to establish an “Equal Rights Amendment.” The amendment would read:

Section 26. Equality of rights. Equality of rights under the law may not be denied or abridged by the State or any political subdivision of the State based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental disability, ancestry or national origin of an individual. The Legislature has the power to enforce this section by appropriate legislation.

The above text of the proposed ERA to the Maine Constitution is even more far-reaching than the already radical original ERA, which did not include any mention of “gender identity, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental disability.” Nevertheless, any “Equal Rights Amendment” (ERA) — whether in a state constitution or the U.S. Constitution — must be opposed because it would serve as a catalyst, especially by activist judges, to impose radical, woke policies. Additionally, it would have damaging ramifications on society.

For example, under this proposed new woke ERA in Maine, it would be unconstitutional, and therefore illegal, to not employ a person, on account of their physical or mental impairment, whose physical or mental impairment prohibits them from performing a required task. What is to stop a wheelchair-ridden individual who is denied employment as a lifeguard at a public local or state-run swimming pool or beach from suing the local, county, city, or state government that manages the pool/beach on the basis that their “rights” were violated under the state’s ERA? Under this proposed new ERA, such a disabled person, could not be denied the job, even if the local or state government does not have the funds to pay for another able-bodied individual to also serve as a lifeguard during the same hours as the lifeguard who is physically disabled and restricted to a wheelchair. This ERA would put those swimming at risk as well as the lifeguard unable to leave his/her wheelchair if he/she attempted to wheel into the water to save a person in need of help. This is just one example of how this new woke ERA would endanger lives.

Additionally, if an ERA were ratified, it would likely be used eliminate any state laws against abortion and mandate taxpayer funding of abortions, since any restrictions would be interpreted as a form of “sex discrimination.” Consider the ramifications of a federal law that defines men and women as complete equals.

Any law or statute that is sex specific would likely be null and void, under Maine’s ERA. Imagine how this could affect your mother, wife or daughter?

• No more segregated bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, prisons, schools, athletic competitions, extracurricular activities, or anything else you can think of.
• No more maternity leave or special accommodations for pregnant women.
• Shelters for abused women will no longer exist.
• Government-imposed “protections” on transgenderism and sex mutilation.

In order to prevent the acceleration of cultural Marxism in America, it is imperative that Maine’s proposed ERA does not pass. Urge your state representative and senator to oppose LD 260.